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(%. 


IlEP»0]RT 


or 


BRIGADIER  GENERAL  R.S.RIPLEY, 


OF    OPERATIONS 


FROM  AUGUST  21,  TO  SEPTEMBER  10,  18G3. 


WITH  8U1MIEP()RT8. 


PUBLISHED  BY  ORDER  OF  CONGRESS. 


RICHMOND: 

r.  M.  SMITH,  rUHLIG   FRINTEi:. 

1864. 


deny  r 
rfC><ut- 


MESSAGE  OF  THE  PRESIDENT. 

Richmond,  Va.,  January  7,  1864. 

To  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  : 

I  herewith  transmit,  for  your  information,  a  communication  from 
the  Secretary  of  War,  covering  a  copy  of  the  report  of  Brigadier 
General  R.  S.  Ripley,  "of  operations  from  August  21  to  September 
10,  1863." 

JEFFERSON  DAVIS. 


COMMUNICATION  OF    SECRETARY  OF  WAR. 

Confederate  States  of  America,      ^ 

War  Department,  v 

Richmond,  Va.,  January  6th,  1864.      ) 

To  the  President  of  the  Confederate  States  : 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  forward,  for  the  information  of  Congress, 
copies  of  Brigadier  General  Ripley's  report  of  operations  from  Au- 
gust 21  to  September  1(1,  1863,  with  sub-reports. 

I  am,  sir,  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JAMES  A.  SEDDON, 

Secretary  of  War. 


IIEPOBT  OF  GENERAL  V.  S.  RIPLEY. 


•  IlEAnqUARTERS  FiRPT  MiMTARY    DiSTRTCT,         ) 

Department  of  South  Carolina,  Georgia  and  Florida,  v 
Charleston,  September  22d,  18C3        ) 

Gf.ner\l:  On  the  morning  of  the  2I:5t  of  August,  the  enemy 
opened  heavily  against  the  cast  face  of  Fort  Sumter,  from  his  land 
batterie.^^,  rnlilixding  it,  and  by  half-past  seven  had  succeeded  in  dis- 
abling one  ten-inch  gun  and  a  rifled  forfy-two-nounder.  ■  The  can- 
nonade was  continued  throughout  the  (Jay.  Four  hundred  and  sixty- 
five  shot  and  shell  struck  Fort  Sumter  outside,  two  hundred  and 
fifty-nine  inside,  and  two  hundred  and  nineteen  passed  over,  nine 
hundred  and  forty-three  in  all.  The  eifect  was  to  batter  the  easicrn 
face  heavily,  doing  consi^lerable  damage,  and  to  disable  the  guns  al- 
reaiy  mentioned,  one  eight-inch  col'umbiad  and  a  ril'cd  forty-two- 
poundcr.  Seven  men  were  wounded  in  the  fort — three  dangerously. 
In  the  evening,  the  Ironsides  frigate  came  A\ithin  range.  Five  eleven- 
inch  shot  were  fired  at  her,  when  she  withdrew.^  Brigadier  Gcp.eral 
Ilagood  relieved  Colonel  Keitt  in  command  of  our  troops  on  I^Iorris 
Island,  at  two  o'clock  on  the  m^n-ning  of  the  2  1st,  At  half-past  two, 
he  opened  fire  on  the  enemy's  advance,  then  within  about  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  yards,  to  which  the  enemy  responded  vigorously.  The 
practice  was  kept  up  until  daylight.  During  the  or^.rly  part  of  the  day, 
the  enemy's  land  batteries  were  employt^-d  upon  Fort  Sumter,  and 
fired  but  littlo  upon  \Yagner.  A  monitor  and  two  wooden  gun-boats, 
during  the  aficrnoon,  opened  upon  the  battery  and  the  troops  on  the 
hills.  This  firo  was  replied  to  by  a  ten- inch  gun  from  Wagner  and  by 
Battery  Gregrr,  Towards  evening,  the  heavy  land  batteries  com- 
menced upon  Wagner,  adding  thoir  annoyance  to  that  of  the  sharp- 
shooters, which  bad  been  constantly  kept  up  during  the  day. 

At  dusk  a  large  force  of  the  enemy  was  observed  approach^inr,  with 
the  apparent  in!,ention  of  assaulting  the  rifle-pits.  He  was  received 
with  a  brisk  fire;  and  General  Ilagood  itnmediatelv  reinforcing  his  ad- 
vance, drove  back  the  assault. 

The  casualties  at  Wagner  were  Captain  Robert  Pringle,  of  Lucas' 
battalion  of  artillery,  (who  died  nobly  at  his  post,)  killed,  and  seven 
wounded.  Batteries  Cheves  ami  Simpkins  kept  up  a  continuous  fire  with 
columbiads  and  mortars  throughout  tbo  day  on  tl;e  enemy's  advance.  At 
twelve  o'clock  the  enemy  sent  a  flag  of  tiucc  to  battery  Wagner,  with 
a  communication  to  the  commanding  general.  This  Brigadier  Gen- 
eral ILigood  retained,  there  being  no  immediate  communication  with 
the  city  until  iho  evening,  when  it  was  delivered  to  the  commanding 
general,  who  visited  Morris'  Island  at  that  time.*     At  about  half-paet 

*NoTE. — Itbcin^  at  nif:bt,  with  no  proper  Tight  at  ti»nJ,  the  oumraanicitions  were  sent  un- 
Fejiled,  by  the  Batno  lu'jg.-cngcr,  to  my  hpadijanrteri. 

G.  T.  OKAURSaARD,  General  commanding. 


I 


two  o'clock,  on  tlie  morning  of  the  22d,  an  officer  was  sent  to  Morria 
Island,  returning  the  dispatch  enclosed  to  the  commander  of  the  en- 
my's  forces  for  signature,  which  had  been  omitted. 

Soon  after  three  o'clock,  the  enemy  opened  from  a  new  battery, 
constructed  in  the  marsh,  a  little  to  the  west  of  Thomas'  Island,  at 
lono-  range,  upon  the  city  of  Charleston,  several  shots  reaching  the 
city,  but  doing  no  damage  whatever,  beyond  the  desfruction  of  a  few 
medical  stores,  and  injuring  one  or  two  walls  slightly. 

During  the  night  of  the  21st,  the  twentieth  South  Carolina  volun- 
teers was  relieved  from  duty  at  Morris  Island,  by  the  sixty -first  North 
Carolina  regiment;  and  different  detachments  of  artillery  were  also 
replaced  by  fresh  troops.  Captain  Gaillard's  company  of  artillery 
was  relieved  from  Fort  Sumter,  and  stationed  at  Sullivan's  Island. 

A  considevable  quantity  of  artillery  implements,  and  nine  thousand 
seven  hundred  pounds  of  powder,  with  subsistence  and  other  stores, 
w^ere  also  shipped  from  that  fort  during  the  night. 

The  enemy  opened  heavily  from  his  land  batteries  on  Fort  Sumter, 
at  six  o'clock,  A.  M.,  on  the  22d,  directing  his  fire,  as  before,  princi- 
pally at  the  east  face,  and  continued  it  throughout  the  day,  throwing 
six  hundred  and  four  shots,  of  which  two  hundred  and  three  struck 
outside,  two  hundred  and  sixteen  struck  inside,  and  one  hundred  and 
ei"hty-five  missed.  The  effect  during  the  day  was  to  disable  the  re- 
maining barbette  guns,  except  one  eleven  and  one  ten  inch  gun  on 
the  eastern  face,  demolish  the  arches  of  the  northwest  face,  (of  which 
five  and  the  terreplein  fell  in,)  and  scale  the  eastern  face  severely. 
One  private  was  wounded. 

While  continuing  the  fire  against  Fort  Sumter,  at  an  early  hour  in 
the  morning  two  monitors  opened  upon  Battery  Wagner,  shelling  for 
about  two  hours,  when  they  were  replaced  by  the  Ironsides,  and  she 
again,  reinforced  by  two  other  monitors,  keeping  up  a  heavy  connonade 
until  about  two  o'clock,  when  they  all  withdrew.  They  all  kept  at 
lon<y  range,  but  had  the  effect  of  preventing  a  continued  fire  from  the 
battery  on  the  advancing  works  of  the  enemy  ;  although  it  was  kept 
up  for  about  one  hour-and-a-half  during  the  morning.  The  sharp- 
shooters recommenced  their  fire  as  soon  as  the  fleet  withdrew.  Bat- 
tery Gregg  returned  the  fire  of  the  monitors  until  they  were  out  of 
range,  when  the  guns  were  turned  upon  the  enemy's  stockade  and 
advance  wOrks,  to  which  his  land  batteries  replied. 

A  flag  of  truce  was  sent  by  steamer  Spaulding,  with  a  communica- 
tion from  the  com.raanding  general  and  certain  consuls,  to  the  enemy, 
during  the  evening. 

Batteries  Simkins  and  Cheves  kept  up  a  continued  fire  upon  the 
works  of  attack. 

On  the  morning  of  the  23d,  at  about  half-past  three,  the  enemy's 
iron-clad  fleet  came  up  the  channel  and  engaged  Fort  Sumter  at  short 
distance,  firing  sixty-one  shots,  of  which  twenty-nine  struck  outside, 
fifteen  inside,  and  seventeen  missed,  doing  considerable  damage  to 
the  eastern  parapet  and  wall.  The  fire  was  replied  to  by  the  guns  of 
Fort  Sumter,  capable  of  service ;  and  the  proper  signals  having  been 
made,  Colonel   Butler,  commanding  artillery  on   Sullivan's   Island, 


manned  his  batteries  and  opened  fire  on  the  nearest  monitor.  A  dense 
fog  soon  set  in,  however,  which  prevented  effective  practice  at  so 
small  a  mark.  From  Fort  Moultrie  the  firing  was  only  kept  up  by 
throwing  shell  to  interrupt  any  rcconnoissance  which  the  enemy 
might  make  of  the  obstructions,  until  about  half-past  six,  A.  M., 
when  the  fog  rose,  and  the  enemy  retired,  after  receiving  a  few  shots. 
At  Battery  Wagner,  during  the  night,  all  the  damages  which  had 
been  done  to  the  battery  were  repaired ;  but  notwithstanding  a  con- 
stant fire  from  the  advanced  pickets,  the  enemy  succeeded  during  the 
night  in  pushing  his  sap  about  forty  yards.  At  an  early  hour  in  the 
morning,  however.  General  Ilagood  opened  upon  them  with  three 
guns,  and  succeeded  in  interfering  with  his  wnrk  almost  entirely 
during  the  day,  and  seriously  injuring  what  had  been  accomplished 
during  the  night.  The  enemy's  land  batteries  opened  upon  Wagner 
in  the  morning  and  afternoon,  but  gave  their  heaviest  fire  during  the 
day  to  Sumter.  The  Ironsides  attacked  about  seven  o'clock,  but  being 
replied  to  by  Battery  Gregg  and  the  sea  front  of  Wagner,  she  retired, 
after  about  an  hour-and-a  half  One  of  her  boats,  a  fine  launch,  was 
cut  away,  secured  by  volunteers  from  the  garrison,  and  sent  to  the 
city  of  Charleston,  where  it  has  since  been  employed  in  transport 
service.  At  about  twelve  o'clock,  a  flag  of  truce  came  in  from  the 
enemy,  with  a  communication  for  the  commanding  general  and 
foreign  consuls.  The  casualties  at  Battery  Wagner  during  the  day 
■were  seven  wounded,  amongst  whom  was  the  gallant  and  distinguished 
Lieutenant  Colonel  P.  C.  Gaillard,  the  commander  of  the  Charleston 
battalion,  who  lost  his  left  hand,  while  in  the  faithful  and  unflinching 
discharge  of  his  duty.  The  fire  from  the  enemy's  land  batteries  was 
kept  up  on  Sumter  during  the  whole  day,  throwing  six  hundred  and 
thirty-three  shot  and  shell,  of  which  two  hundred  and  eighty-two 
struck  outside,  two  hundred  and  ten  inside,  and  one  hundred  and 
forty-one  missed. 

The  eff"ect  was  to  disable  the  10-incli  columbiad  remaining  and  the 
three  rifled  42- pounders  in  the  northern  salient  of  the  second  tier. 
The  eastern  face  was  very  badly  scaled  and  the  parapet  seriously  in- 
jured. The  flag  staff  was  twice  shot  away,  but  the  flag  each  time 
immediately  replaced.  The  casualties  in  Fort  Sumter  -were  seven 
wounded,  including  Lieutenants  Boyleston,  Ficklin  and  Scanlan, 
severely,  and  private  Davis,  company  C,  mortally.  The  enemy 
opened  with  Parrott  guns  on  Fort  Johnson,  during  the  day,  annoying 
working  parties  to  some  extent.  Batteries  Cheves  and  Simlcins  kept 
up  their  regular  fire  upon  his  land  approaches  against  Battery  Wag- 
ner, and  upon  his  marsh  battery  at  night ;  but,  nevertheless,  at  about 
midnight  the  enemy  opened  upon  the  city  of  Charleston  with  a  heavy 
Parrott  rifled  gun  and  upon  Battery  Cheves  with  a  mortar.  The 
damage,  however,  was  slight,  and  the  rifled  gun,  having  either  burst 
or  been  struck  on  its  muzzle  by  a  shot  from  our  batteries,  ceased  its 
practice  from  that  time. 

On  the  morning  of  the  24th,  fire  was  opened  upon  Sumter  from  the 
land  batteries,  but  only  one  hundred  and  fifty  shots  were  thrown 
during  the  day,  having  principally  the  effect  of  scaling  and  damaging 


8 

the  eastern  scarp,  making  one  or  two  penetrations  in  tlie  lower  case- 
mates, which  were  speedily  filled  up  with  sand  bags.  No  casualties 
occurred  at  Sumter. 

At  Battery  Wagner  the  work  of  repair  and  preparations  went  on 
during  the  day,  and  a  mortar  practice  was  kept  up  against  the 
enemy's  working  parties.  Direct  fire  was  also  opened  whenever  prac- 
ticable, but  it  was  ordinarily  of  short  continuance,  owing  to  the 
surpassing  accuracy  of  the  enemy's  practice  against  the  embrasures, 
rendering  great  care  necessary  to  preserve  the  pieces.  Sharpshooters 
were  busily  engaged  on  both  sides.  Batteries  Simldns,  Cheves  and 
Haskell  were  engaged  fr.om  time  to  time  in  firing  upon  the  enemy's 
advance  during  the  day  and  night.  The  nineteenth  Georgia  regiment 
relieved  the  Charleston  battalion  during  the  evening  of  the  24th. 

The  enemy  had  commenced  building  another  battery  in  the  marsh, 
south  of  that  from  which  he  opened  fire  upon  the  city.  Fire  was 
opened  upon  it  from  Simkins  and  Cheves,  but  soon  discontinued,  cir- 
cumstances showing  it  to  be  a  sham. 

The  practice  against  Fort  Sumter  commenced  about  half-past  nine 
o'clock,  and  continued  throughout  the  .25th.  One  hundred  and 
seventy-five  shot  and  shell  were  thrown,  of  which  sixty-two  struck 
outside  and  thirt^'^-six  inside.  The  damage  was  only  to  increase  the 
debris  and  explode  an  ammunition  chest.  There  were  no  casualties. 
At  Battery  Wagner  the  enemy  was  unusually  quiet,  firing  but  few  of 
his  land  batteries,  until  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  he 
opened  an  incessant  fire  from  his  mortars  upon  the  fort  and  the  space 
between  it  and  th'3  rifle  pits.  Towards  evening  he  was  observed, 
from  the  observatories  in  the  city,  to  be  accumulating  forces  in  his 
works  of  attack,  and  orders  were  sent  to  Batteries  Cheves  and  Sim- 
kins  and  Fort  Moultrie  to  open  upon  them.  Soon  after  dark  he 
advanced  upon  the  rifle  pits  in  front  of  Wagner,  but  General 
Hagood's  forces  were  fortunately  prepared  to  receive  him.  His 
mortar  practice  ceased,  and  his  infantry  assaulted  fiercely,  but  the 
position  was  held  with  courage  and  spirit,  and  ssuccess  crowned  the 
efi"orts  of  the  brave  men  of  the  sixty-first  North  Carolina  and  fifty- 
fourth  Georgia  regiments,  who  constituted  the  advanced  pickets  and 
reserve.  The  latter  regiment  hcd  been  on  duty  during  the  day  and 
bad  just  been  reinforced  by  the  sixty-first,  going  to  its  relief,  under 
Colonel  Devane. 

Captain  Roberts,  of  the  fifty-fourth,  a  gallant  soldier,  was  mortally 
wounded.  The  casualties  were  five  killed  and  nineteen  wounded. 
Colonel  Harrison  of  the  thirty- second  Georgia,  relieved  Brigadier 
General  Hagood  in  command  of  the  forces  on  Morris  Island  at  ten 
o'clock  on  the  evening  of  the  25th ;  Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  Welshman 
Brown  relieving  Major  Warley  as  chief  of  artillery. 

Twelve  thousand  pounds  of  powder  and  a  large  quantity  of  ammu- 
nition and  material  were  transported  from  Fort  Sumter  during  the 
night.  Companies  C  and  F,  of  the^  first  regiment  of  artillery,  were 
transferred  to  the  new  batteries  near  Fort  Johnson,  their  places  being 
supplied  by  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  from  Brigadier  General  Col- 
quitt's brigade. 


The  enemy  commenced  against  Fort  Sumter  at  six,  A.  M.,  on  the 
26th,  but  his  fire  was  inexact  and  slow,  doing  but  little  damage, 
except  increasing  the  debris.  The  garrison  and  laborers  were  em- 
plojed  in  repairing  damage^?.  A  quantity  of  ten  inch  shells  were 
shipped  during  the  night,  with  other  ammunition. 

At  Battery  Wagner,  Colonel  Harrison  kept  up  an  irregular  firedu- 
ri-Dg  the  night  of  the  25th,  and  also  during  the  day,  but  several  of 
his  guns  were  badly  damaged,  and  his  supply  of  ammunition,  from 
deficiency  of  transportation  and  other  causes,  not  full.  The  enemy 
returned  the  fire  from  a  number  of  guns,  generally  giving  four  shots 
to  one,  and,  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  increased  the  cannon- 
ade against  Wagner  and  Gregg.  About  five  o'clock,  he  concentrated 
all  his  fire  on  Battery  Wagner  and  the  rifle-pits.  Meanwhile,  mass- 
ing his  troops  in  his  works  of  attack,  just  before  dark,  he  threw  f.jr- 
ward  an  overwhelming  force  on  the  advanced  pickets,  notwithstanding 
the  fires  of  Batteries  Simkins,  Gregg  and  Cheves,  and  succeeded  in 
overpowering  them  before  they  cculd  be  supported,  capturing  the 
greater  number.  lie  attempted  to  advance  beyond  the  rifle-pits,  bat 
having  exploded  three  torpedoes,  and  being  received  by  a  warm  fire 
from  Wagner,  his  advance  was  checked  for  the  time. 

The  sixty-first  North  Carolina  regiojent  and  the  artillery  detach- 
ments on  duty  at  Mori  i.s  Island,  were  to  be  relieved  during  the  night,  by 
the  eighth  North  Carolina,  and  three  detachments  of  artillery  from 
three  respective  regiments. 

Upon  the  enemy's  attack:  the  relieving  party  was  strengthened  by 
the  twentieth  South  Carolina  volunteers,  and  Colonel  Harrison  wa3 
ordered  to  retain  the  troops  to  be  relieved. 

During  the  night  of  August  37tj;i,  the  enemy  had  recourse  again 
to  his  regular  approaches,  and  succeeded  in  making  some  progrcsa. 
At  dawn  of  the  2Tth,  he  was  opened  upon  by  Wagner,  which  was  re- 
plied to  by  the  enemy's  Barrett  guns,  making  it  impossible  to  use  our 
imperfect  artiillery  with  good  effect.  The  sharpshooters  were  kept  at 
work,  and  at  dark  the  artillery  fire  was  renewed. 

Brigadier  General  A.  H.  Colquitt  relieved  Colonel  Harrison,  in 
command  of  the  island,  at  twelve  o'clock,  on  the  night  of  the  27th- 
The  enemy's  operations  against  Fort  Sumter  consisted  only  in 
throwing  four  shots  at  the  flag.  The  garrison  was  employed  in  stop- 
ping breaches  and  embrasures.  During  the  night,  a  nine-inch,  n 
Dahlgren  gun  and  a  ten-inch  columbiad  were  thrown  from  the  walls, 
to  be  transported  by  a  party  under  Mr.  J.  Frayser  Mathews.  The 
Dahlgren  was  brought  to  the  city,  with  a  large  quantity  of  imple- 
ments and  ammunition. 

The  enemy  was  very  quiet  during  the  2Sth,  throwing  only  six  shots 
at  Sumter.  The  tides  had  apparently  damaged  some  of  his  works, 
which  he  was  engaged  in  repniring.  He  continued  his  advance,  by 
his  regular  approaches,  on  Morris  Island,  on  which  ho  was  retarded 
by  the  artillery  fire  from  Batteries  Gregg.  Simkins,  Cheves  and  Has- 
kell, and  the  infantry  fire  from  Battery  Wagner,  during  the  day  and 
night.  At  Fort  Sumter,  a  nine-inch  Dahlgren  gun  was  thrown  over 
'tho^parapet,  but  badly  injured  in  the  fall.     The   ten-inch  columbiad, 


10 

sent  down  the  night  before,  with  a  large  supply  of  ammunition,  was 
shipped.  No  casualties  occurred.  The  sixty-first  North  Carolina 
regiment  was  relieved  from  Battery  Wagner. 

No  firing  occurred  against  Sumter  on  the  29th.  During  the  night, 
company  D,  of  the  first  South  Carolina  artillery,  was  sent  to  Charles- 
ton, being  replaced  by  fifty  men  of  General  Colquitt's  brigade,  A 
seven-inch  Brooke  gun  and  a  forty-two-pounder  rifie  were  thrown 
from  the  parapet.  The  Brooke  gun  and  a  large  quantity  of  miscel- 
laneous ammunition  and  implements  were  shipped.  On  Morris  Island, 
the  enemy  were  engi'gcd  in  strengthening  their  works,  annoyed  and 
retarded  by  the  fire  from  the  batteries  en  James  Island,  and  Fort  John- 
son, and  frbm  Fort  Moultrie,  which,  although  at  a  great  range,  was 
reported,  by  General  Colquitt,  as  quite  efl"ective.  The  guns  at  Bat- 
tery Wagner  did  good  service.  An  irregular  fire  was  kept  up  on 
both  sides ;  no  serious  damage  was  done  to  Wagner,  but  the  nine- 
inch  gun,  (Dahlgren)  at  Battery  Gregg,  was  dismounted.  During 
the  evening,  Lieutenant  Randall,  A.  D,  C,  to  General  Colquitt,  a 
highly  distinguished  and  meritorious  young  officer,  received  a  very 
severe  and  dangerous  wound. 

The  fifty-fourth  Georgia  regiment  was  relieved,  as  well  as  artillery 
detachments,  by  the  thirty-second  Georgia,  and  other  troops,  during 
the  night. 

On  the  morning  of  the  30th  of  August,  the  enemy  opened  a  rapid 
fire,  from  four  guns,  on  Fort  Sumter,  wounding  four  men,  throwing 
about  the  debris  and  disabling  the  three  ten-inch  columbiads  on  the 
sea  face,  which  had  been  repaired.  This  was  kept  up  until  about  five 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and,  by  that  time,  three  of  the  casemate 
arches  on  the  northeast  face,  had#been  demolished,  and  two  breaches 
made  in  the  scarp  wall  of  the  eastern  face,  exposing  the  sand  with 
v/hich  the  arches  were  filled.  On  Morris  Island,  the  enemy  was 
quietly  engaged  in  driving  his  saps,  in  which  they  were  opposed  by 
the  James  Island  batteries  and  Wagner  ;  and  attempted  a  new  ap- 
proach on  the  left,  but  was  compelled  to  desist.  During  Ihe  day  but 
little  firing  took  place,  except  from  sharpshooters,  but  at  evening,  a 
brisk  mortar  practice  was  commenced  on  Battery  Wagner,  and  a  fire 
from  Parrott  guns  on  Battery  Gregg,  apparently  to  cut  oif  supplies 
and  the  relieving  troops.  These  were  sent  down  in  the  steamer  Sum- 
ter, the  naval  force  being  unable  to  co-operate  with  boats  ;  and,  the 
weather. being  favorable,  it  was  determined  by  the  quartermaster  in 
charge,  to  make  the  attempt  to  commnnicate  direct.  The  twenty- 
seventh  and  twenty-eighth  Georgia  regiments  and  Captain  Johnson's 
company  of  artillery,  with  the  supplies  and  stores  for  Morris  Island, 
had  been  safely  landed,  and  the  twentieth  South  Carolina  and  twenty- 
third  Georgia  regiments  and  Captain  Mathews'  artillery  received  on 
board.  So  much  time  had  been  taken  up,  however,  that  the  tide  had 
fallen  so  low  as  to  necessitate  going  by  the  main  channel,  and  unfor- 
tunately the  necessity  had  not  been  provided  against,  by  giving  infor- 
mation to,  and  establishing  a  signal  with  the  batteries  on  Sullivan's 
Island.  The  steamer  had  run  safely  to  the  enemy's  fleet,  and  was 
coming  up  the  channel,  when,  being  observed  from  Fort  Moultrie,' fire 
was  opened  upon  her. 


11 

Before  the  officers  in  charge  had  learned  this  error,  several  shots 
took  effect,  sinking  the  boat  and  ct\using  the  loss  of  arms  and  equip- 
ments. The  troops  on  board  were  rescued  by  the  garrison  of  Fort 
Sumter,  under  Col.  Alfred  Rbett,  and  boats  sent  down  by  the  navy. 
Eight  men  were  reported  missing  the  next  morning,  and  it  is  feared 
were  drowned.  Special  reports  have  bean  made  to  headquarters  on 
this  unfortunate  occurrence. 

During  the  night  of  August  3lst,  in  spite  of  a  heavy  fire  from 
Battery  Wagner,  the  enemy  continued  strengthening  his  approaches, 
replj'ing  to  our  fire  with  his  mortars.  The  batteries  on  James  Island 
continued  their  practice,  oftentimes  with  good  effect,  but  from  the  near 
approach  of  the  enemy  to  Battery  Wagner,  it  was,  at  others,  quite 
dangerous  to  our  own  people,  and  General  Colquitt  directed  them,  by 
signal,  to  cease.  Occasional  shots  were  thrown  by  the  enemy  in  the 
morning,  and  their  sharpshooters  were  especially  active.  About 
half-past  three  in  the  afternoon,  four  monitors  came  up  and  com- 
menced firing  at  Battery  Gregg,  Fort  Moultrie  aad  Fort  Sumter,  and 
the  wreck  of  the  steamer  sunk  the  previous  night.  This  was  re- 
turned by  the  batteries  on  Sullivan's  Island  and  Battery  Gregg,  and 
the  monitors  were  repeatedly  struck  from  both  sides.  At  dark  they 
withdrew.  The  fire  upon  Fort  Sumter  was  quite  slack  during  the 
day,  and  did  no  damage. 

At  night  the  troops  rescued  from    the  Sumter   were  transported^, 
to  their  respective  posts,  and  shipment  of  stores  and  ammunition  con- 
tinued 

The  enemy  was  engaged  on  his  works  on  ^lorris  Island  during  the 
night  of  the  31st,  under  a  brisk  fire  from  Battery  Waguer,  along  his 
front.      lie  succeeded  in  advancing  his  lines  but  a  short  distance. 

At  daylight  he  opened  with  his  mortars  upon  that  battery,  and  kept 
up  the  bombardment,  at  intervals,  throughout  the  day.  The  long- 
range  land  batteries  opened  early  against  Fort  Sumter,  and  kept  up 
a  regular  and  destructive  fire,  injuring  the  fort  very  seriously,  and 
disabling  the  remaining  guns  en  barbette. 

The  entire  terreplein  of  the  northeastern  face,  with  the  exception 
of  two  arches  near  the  eastern  salient,  fell  in  under  the  fice.  At 
forty  minutes  past  eleven  o'clock,  P.  .M.,  six  monitors  steamed  up 
and  took  position,  varying  from  eight  hundred  to  fifteen  hundred  yards 
from  Fort  Sumter,  and  opened  a  heavy  cohaonado  upon  the  eastern 
face.  Fort  Moultrie  and  the  batteries  adjacent  on  Sullivan's  Island 
and  Battery  Gregg,  opened  upon  them  in  return,  striking  them  fre- 
quently and  heavily.  Two  or  three  soon  retired,  and  remained  at  long 
range. 

The  Ironsides  moved  in  at  half  past  one,  on  the  morning  of  the  2d 
of  September,  and  taking  a  position  at  from  about  fifteen  hundrq^  to 
eighteen  hundred  yar  Is  from  tke  Sumter,  opened  her  broadside.  She 
was  too  far  from  Moultrie  for  effective  practice,  which  wa.s  ordered  to 
be  kept  up  and  concentrated  on  the  loading  vessels.  This  wa.**  done 
until  four  forty,  .'V.  M.,  when  the  fleet  retire  1,  two  monitors  apparently 
injured  and  requiring  assistance. 

Their  fire  had  been  principally  directed  against  Fort  Sumter,  appa- 


12 

rently  with  the  intention  of  doing  as  much  damage  as  possible.  This 
was  effected  to  the  extent  of  demolishing  nearly  the  whole  of  the  eas- 
tern scarp,  but  only  three  casualties,  all  slight  wounds,  took  place  in 
the  fort.  Two  men  of  the  fifty-first  North  Carolina  weVe  killed  on 
Sullivan's  Island,  by  the  explosion  of  a  shell  from  the  fleet. 

The  twenty-fifth  South  Carolina  was  to  have  relieved  the  thirty- 
second  Georgia  and  eighth  North  Carolina,  on  duty  at  Morris  Island, 
but,  owing  to  the  engagement,  the  communication  was  interrupted, 
and  only  a  detachment  effected  a  landing. 

While  the  cannonade  was  going  on,  an  occasional  fire  was  kept  up 
on  Battery  Wagner,  and  the  enemy  pushed  forward  his  works  of  at- 
tack to  v^'ithin  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  yards  of  the  eastern 
ealicnt.  Owing  to  the  difficulty  of  communication  and  supply,  the 
garrison  was  compeDed  to  husband  the  ammunition  for  the  heavy 
guns  ;  but  a  fire  was  kept  up  to  impede  their  progress  as  much  as 
possible.  The  sharpshooters  on  both  sides,  on  Morris'  Island,  were 
busily  employed  i%  the  day,  but  the  batteries  against  Sumpter  were 
idle,  and  the  fleet  was  apparently  employed  repairing  d  .mages  and 
resupplying  ammunition.  The  casualties  at  Wagner  were  one  killed 
and  six  wounded. 

At  night  the  movement  of  the  troops,  attempted  the  previous  even- 
ing, and  the  supply  of  Morris  Island  was  effected,  and  at  eleven,  P. 
M,,  Colonel  L.  M.  Keitt,  of  the-  twentieth  South  Carolina  volun- 
teers, relieved  Brigadier  General  Colquitt  in  the  command  of  that 
position. 

The  night  of  the  2nd  pa'ssed  quietly  at  Battery  Wagner,  the 
•enemy  pressing  forward  his  works,  and  our  own  forces  repairing 
damages  and  planting  torpedoes  to  obstruct  his  progress.  Early  in 
the  morning  of  the  3rd  he  opened  his  mortars,  and  continued  the 
practice  throughout  the  day.  The  casualties  for  the  day  were  one 
killed  and  six  wounded. 

A.  quantity  of  ammunition  and  stores  were  removed  from  Fort 
Sumter  during  the  night  of  the  2nd.  The  3rd  passed  away  without 
the  enemy's  firing  upon  that  work,  and  the  garrison  and  hands  were 
employed  in  reliefs.  At  night  the  shipment  of  ordnance  and  !',tores 
was  continued.  One  ten-inch  gun,  one  eight-inch  and  rifled  thirty- 
two-pounder  were  removed  from  the  berme  of  the  fort  and  transported 
to  the  city  by  Mr.  J.  Frayser  Mathews,  Lieutenant  Julius  Rhett 
succeeded  in  throwing  from  the  parapet  two  ten-inch,  one  forty-two- 
pounder  rifled,  one  eight-inch,  one  eleven-inch,  and  one  thirty-two- 
poundcr  rifled  guns,  during  the  nights  of  the  1st,  2nd  and  3rd  of 
September. 

The  night  of  the  3rd  passed  with  compnrative  quiet,  the  enemy 
wojking  at  his  approaches  and  pushing  them  forward  with  vigor, 
covered  occasionally  by  his  mortar  practice.  When  morning  dawned, 
he  neglected  Fort  Sumter,  but  kept  up  an  occasional  fire  from  his  land 
batteries  on  Battery  Wagner,  and  kept  his  sharpshooters  busy  in 
Bweeping  the  parapet  from  the  captured  rifle  pits.  The  monitor  fleet 
lay  quiet,  apparently  repairing  damages  and  taking  in  ammunition. 
About  eight  o'clock  the  Ironsides  opened  fire  on  Battery  Wagner, 


13 

which  was  kept  up  until  about  noon,  when  she  hauled  off,  and  regular 
mortar  practice  8uccecde.l  throughout  the  diiy. 

The  effect  was  to  increase  the  casualties  seriously.  These  will  be 
found  in  the  returns  accompanyiag  this  report,  but  the  daily  reports 
were  from  this  date  interrupted.  During  the  afternoon  Major  Fred- 
erick Warley,  second  South  Carolina  artillery,  was  seriously  wounded 
by  a  splinter.  A  boat  being  sent  down  with  an  officer  to  relieve  him, 
was,  on  its  return,  captured,  with  himself,  the  coxswain  and  ten  men, 
at  about  nine  o'clock,  P.  M.,  by  some  of  the  enemy's  barges,  which 
had  pushed  in  under  the  cover  of  the  darkness.  The  supply  of 
Morris  Island  and  the  relief  of  the  twenty-eighth  Georgia  regiment 
were,  however,  effected  during  the  night  without  further  loss. 

Fort  Sumter  having  been  held  through  the  siege  and  cannonade  by 
the  first  South  Carolina  artillery,  under  Colonel  Alfred  Rhett,  until 
its  armament  had  been  disabled,  and  the  services  of  the  artillerymen 
being  elsewhere  required,  the  commanding  general  determined  thnt  it 
should  be  held  by  infantry.  Several  companies  had  been  before 
relieved  by  troops  from  General  Colquitt's  brigade,  and  on  tho  ui^ht 
of  the  4th  the  Charleston  battalion,  under  Major  Blake,  relieved  tho 
garrison;  Major  Stephen  Elliott  relieving  Colonel  Rhett  in  command 
of  the  post.  Colonel  Rhett  was  placed  in  command  of  the  interior 
batterie^  in  and  about  the  city,  with  Castle  Pinckney  and  Fort 
Ripley. 

The  enemy  kept  up  a  continual  fire  on  Wagner  during  the  night  of 
the  4th  and  pushed  forward  his  approaches  to  a  close  proximity  of  the 
ditch.  The  shortness  of  his  range  and  the  proximity  of  his  support 
enabled  him  to  inflict  some  injury  on  the  garrison,  a  larger  force 
being  necessary  at  the  parapet  to  guard  against  assault  Earlj'^  on 
the  morning  of  the  5th,  the  Ironsides  combined  her  fire  with  the 
enemy's  land  batteries,  all  concentrated  on  Wagner,  Avith  considerable 
effect,  the  land  guns  being  directed  against  the  southeastern  salient 
and  those  of  the  Ironsides  enfilading  the  land  face  and  curtain  of  the 
work.  The  effect  was  to  severely  injure  the  traverses  and  communi- 
cations, to  disable  the  guns  and  equipments  still  more  effectually,  and 
increase  the  list  of  killed  and  wounded  heavily,  it  amounting  to  over 
forty  for  the  day  at  Wagner  and  Gregg. 

Certain  indications  of  an  attack  on  Cuoi.nings'  Point^during  the 
night  by  boats  having  been  observed,  Colonel  Keitt  was  directed  to 
prepare  to  receive  it,  which  he  did  at  early  dark  by  sending  strong 
parties  to  the  support  of  Battery  Gregg  and  into  the  sand  hills  be- 
tween it  and  Wagner.. 

While  making  these  preparations  Captain  Haines,  commanding 
twenty-eighth  Georgia,  and  Lieutenant  Bluiu,  of  the  twenty-fifth 
South  Carolina  volunteers,  were  killed  by  a  mortar  shell.  They  were 
both  gallant  and  meritorious  officers. 

The  enemy  kept  up  a  fierce  mortar  practice  on  Wagner  and  at  dusk 
sent  in  two  monitors,  which  kept  up  a  heavy  fire  on  Battery  Gregg  and 
its  water  approaches  until  about  one  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  tho 
6th,  when  they  hauled  off.  Soon  after,  the  attacking  party  made  its 
appearance  in  from  fifteen  to  twenty  barges,  by  the  interior  passagesj^ 


14 

coming  from  the  junction  of  Vincent's  and  Schooner  creeks.  They 
were  discovered  by  Captain  Lesesne,  who  opened  upon  them  with  ten- 
inch  grape.  Major  Gardner,  of  the  twenty-seventh  Georgia  regi- 
ment, commanding  the  position,  threw  his  infantry  forward  and 
opened  fire.  The  enemy  was  evidently  surprised  and  in  confusion, 
his  officers  calling  out  not  to  fire,  that  they  were  friends.  Finding 
his  falsehood  unavailing,  his  parties  pushed  in,  firing  spherical  case 
from  three  boat  howitzers.  Meanwhile  Fort  Moultrie  and  Battery 
Bee  opened,  over  and  to  the  right  of  Battery  Gregg ;  our  infantry 
plied  the  attacking  party  vigorously ;  two  field  howitzers,  under 
Lieutenant  Macbeth,  were  opened  upon  them,  and,  evidently  much 
cut  up,  they  hauled  off"  and  made  the  best  of  their  way  back  to  their 
position  through  the  creeks  and  marshes.  The  enemy's  calcium  light 
had  been  freely  used  during  the  night  to  light  up  Wagner  and  its 
approaches,  and,  after  the  repulse  of  his  boat  party,  he  kept  up  a 
furious  shelling,  almost  entirely  preventing  work  upon  repairs. 

At  daylight  on  the  6th,  this  was  completely  stopped  by  his  over- 
whelming force  of  sharpshooters.  The  fire  from  the  land  batteries  was 
kept  up  throughout  the  whole  day,  and  from  time  to  time,  the  whole 
iron-clad  fleet  fired  furiously  upon  the  work,  adding  heavily  to  the 
list  of  casualties,  which,  for  the  5th  and  6th,  amounted  to  over  one 
hundred  and  fifty.  Batteries  WagEer  and  Gregg  had  now  begp  held 
under  a  continued  and  furious  cannonade,  by  land  and  sea,  for  ffty- 
seven  days,  two  assaults  had  been  signally  and  gloriously  repulsed ;  the 
enemy  had  been  forced  to  expend  time,  men  and  material,  most 
lavishly  in  approaching  the  first ;  but  at  this  time,  he  was  within  a 
few  yards  of  the  salient ;  most  of  the  guns  of  the  fort  were  injured, 
transportation  and  supply  had  become  most  difficult  with  the  ineffi- 
cient means  at  our  disposal,  the  possibility  of  throwing  heavy  rein- 
forcements in  time  to  resist  an  assault  by  the  enemy's  overwhelming 
forces,  issuing  from  his  trenches  only  a  few  yards  distant,  out  of  the 
question,  and  the  practibility  of  keeping  a  sufficient  force  on  the  island 
for  the  purpose,  under  the  furious  cannonade  from  land  and  sea,  with- 
out protecting  shelter,  scarcely  less  so.  This  matter  had  been  some 
time  under  consideration  by  the  commanding  general,  and  after  re- 
ceiving reports  concerning  the  state  of  the  works,  and  our  capabilities 
for  reinforce^ng  the  garrison,  it  was  determined  not  to  subject  those 
brave  men,  the  flower  of  our  force,  to  the  desperate  chances  of  assault. 
Orders  were  accordingly  given,  on  the  morning  of  the  6th,  to  prepare 
for  evacuation,  and  the  details  arranged,  A  fleet  of  transport 
steamers  was  to  assemble  between  Fort  Johnson  and  Sumter,  covered 
<foy  the  Iron-clad  steamer  "  Charleston,"  while  small  boats,  manned  by 
officers  and  men  of  the  "  Palmetto  "  and  "  Chicora"  and  details  from 
the  army,  were  to  embark  the  forces  from  Cummings'  Point ;  instruc- 
tions were  sent  for  the  demolition  of  the  armament  of  both  batteries, 
;and  for  blowing  up  the  magazines,  as  the  places  were  abandoned.  It 
is  10  be  regretted  that  the  last  instructions  did  not  reach  Morris 
Island  earlier ;  but  the  communication  having  been  completely  inte- 
rupted  by  the  enemy's  boat  attack  on  the  night  of  the  5th,  they  did 
.not  reach  the  commander  until  the  evening  of  the  6th,  a  short  time 


15 

before  the  evacuation  was  to  be  commenced.  Fort  Moultrie,  Battery 
Bee,  Batteries  Simkins,  Cheves  and  Haskell,  were  all  manned  and  in 
readiness  to  open  fire,  to  cover  the  embarkation  should  the  enemy 
have  discovered  the  movements  and  attempted  to  interfere.  For  tho 
details  of  the  evacuation,  I  beg  respectfully  to  refer  to  the  able  report 
of  Colonel  L.  M.  Keitt,  twentieth  South  Carolina  Volunteers,  and 
the  reports  accompanying  it. 

It  commenced  about  nine,  P.  M.,  and  Avas  concluded  at  about  twelvo. 
The  guns  of  the  batteries  were  spiked  and  implements  generally  de- 
stroyed. Matches  were  fixed  to  explode  the  magazines,  but,  from 
some  unfortunate  cause,  both  those  at  Wagner  and  Gregg  failed  to 
explode.  The  enemy  threw  his  calcium  light  on  Wagner  during  tho 
whole  night  and  one  of  the  most  furious  bombardments  on  record, 
even  during  this  war,  was  continuously  kept  up  while  the  movements 
were  progressing  ;  but  he  did  not  ascertain  the  evacuation  until  the 
last  of  the  boats  were  leaving.  Then  his  guard-boats  discovered  tho 
movement  of  our  boats  engaged  in  the  embarkation,  and  creeping  up 
upon  the  rear  succeeded  in  cutting  off  and  capturing  three  barges, 
containing  Lieutenant  Haskell  and  boat's  crew  of  the  Chicora,  and 
soldiers  of  the  armv. 

The  enemy  occupied  Battery  Wagner  about  daylight  on  the  7th  Sep- 
tember, and  was  opened  upon  by  Batteries  Simkins  and  Cheves  and  Fort 
Moultrie,  with  the  works  adjacent.  Soon  after,  Admiral  Dahlgren, 
commanding  the  enemy's  fleet,  sent  a  demand  to  ]\Iajor  Stephen  Elliott. 
commanding  Fort  Sumter,  for  w  surrender  of  that  post.  Major  Elliott 
declined,  meantime  referring  the  matter  to  the  headquarters  of  the 
district.  Under  instructions  from  the  headquarters  of  the  depart- 
ment^ Admiral  Dahlgren  was  informed  that  he  could  have  Fort  Sumter 
when  he  could  take  and  hold  it.  Aboutsix  P.  M.,  the  Ironsides  and 
five  Monitors  came  up  the  channel  and  opened  fire  against  Fort  Sumter 
and  the  batteries  on  Sullivan's  Island,  which  was  promptly  and  steadily 
replied  to  by  our  guns  (until  it  Avas  too  dark  to  observe  the  vessels,) 
with  some  effect.  The  enemy  kept  up  his  fire  until  about  nine  o'clock, 
doing  but  little  damage  to  the  works.  First  Lieutenant  E.  A.  Erwin, 
First  South  Carolina  Infantry  was  killed  at  Battery  Beauregard. 

On  the  morning  of  the  8th,  a  monitor,  supposed  to  be  the  Weehaw- 
ken,  was  observed  aground  in  the  channel  leading  to  Cummings'  Point, 
near  the  shore  of  Morris  Island,  A  slow  fire  was  opened  on  her  from 
a  trebly  banded  Brooke  gun  and  the  ten-inch  columbiad  from  Sulli- 
van's Island,  and  from  such  guns  as  would  bear  from  Fort  Johnson. 
The  endeavor  was  made  to  strike  her  below  her  armor,  which 
was  out  of  water  at  low  tide.  She  was  struck  several  times  below 
the  usual  water  lines,  and  about  nine  o'clock. the  Ironsides  and  five 
other  monitors  came  up  to  her  assistance,  engaging  the  forts  and  bat- 
teries at  distinces  varying  from  eight  hundred  to  fifteen  hundred 
yards,  keeping  up  a  very  heavy  cannonade. 

A  shell  from  the  Weehawken  struck  and  disabled  an  eight-inch 
columbiad  in  Fort  Moultrie  and  glancing,  burst  near  a  service  maga- 
zine, which  was  protected  by  a  heavy  traverse,  throwing  incen- 
diary   contents    into  the    magazine   and  exploding    it     and    several 


IG 

sKclIs,  killing  sixteen  and  wounding  twelve  men  of  Captain  R  Press 
Smith's  company  E,  first  South  Carolina  infantry.  This  disaster 
interrupted  the  practice  but  little,  for  Captain  Burnett's  company 
relieved  Captain  Smith's,  under  a  h^avy  cannonade,  and  an  accurate 
and  deliberate  fire  was  maintained  against  the  enemy  from  all  the 
latteries  on  the  island  for  about  five  hours,  when  the  enemy  withdrew, 
evidently  much  cut  up  and  disabled. 

From  personal  observation,  I  take  pleasure  in  commending  the 
conduct  and  practice  of  the  officers  and  men  engaged  of  Colonol  But- 
ler's regiment.  The  effect  on  the  iron- dads,  1  believe  to  have  been 
greater  than  on  the  7th  of  April,  and  since  the  action  but  one  monitor 
has  fired  a  gun.  Their  number  has  been  decreasing,  four  only  being 
now  (21st)  in  sight.  Besides  the  casualties  mentioned  from  the 
e:iplosion,  three  men  were  killed  and  two  ofiicers.  Captain  Wardlaw 
and  Lieutenant  De  Saussure,  and  fourteen  men  were  wounded  at  Fort 
l^ioultrie.  Having  met  with  little  success  in  the  cannonade  on  Sulli- 
van's Island  batteries,  the  enemy's  naval  commander  next  made  an 
attempt  to  obtain  possession  of  Fort  Sumter,  and  about  one  o'clock  on 
the  morning  of  the  9th.  attacked  that  fort  with  a  fleet  of  from  thirty 
to  forty  barges.  Major  Elliott  caused  his  fire  to  be  reserved  until  the 
enemy  was  within  a  few  yards  of  the  southern  and  eastern  faces  upon 
■which  the  landing  was  attempted.  He  was  then  received  with  a 
close  fire  of  musketry.  Hand-grenades  and  fragm',-nts  of  the 
epaulments  were  thrown  over,  on  the  heads  of  his  men,  demoralizing 
and  completely  repulsing  him.  The  crews,  near  shore,  sought  refuge 
in  the  recesses  and  breaches  in  the  scarp,  and  those  at  a  distance 
turned  and  pulled  rapidly  away.  The  gunboat  Chicora,  Fort  Moul- 
trie, and  the  Sullivan's  Island  batteries,  and  Fort  Johnson  opened  a 
fire,  enfilading  the  faces  of  Fort  Sumter,  as  soon  as  the  signal  was 
made,  cutting  up  the  retreating  barges,  of  which,  several  were  seen 
floating,  capsized  and  disabled,  the  next  morning.  Major  Elliott  suc- 
ceeded in  securing  five  boats,  five  stand  of  colors,  twelve  officers,  and 
one  hundred  and  nine  men,  including  two  officers  and  seventeen  men 
Tfounded, 

The  prisoners  reported  the  attacking  force  about  four  hundred  strong, 
but  it  was  probably  much  larger  and  the  enemy's  toss  was  undoubtedly 
Tiuch  heavier  than  that  portion  which  fell  into  our  hands  and  under 
our  observation.  x\mongst  the  captured  colors  was  a  worn  and  torn 
garrison  flag,'  reported  by  some  of  the  prisoners  as  being  that  which 
Major  Anderson  was  permitted  to  take  from  the  fort  on  the  occasion 
of  his  being  compelled  to  surrender  in  April,  1861.  This  had  been 
brought  to  hoist  on  the  fort,  and  to  be  made  the  subject  of  boast,  had 
the  assault  succeeded.  Whether  it  was  really  the  flag  or  not,  it  would 
doubtless  have  been  so  announced.  As  the  ^attempt  was  a  disastrous 
repulse,  it  has  been  stated,  I  am  informed,  by  certain  ofiicers  of  the 
enemy,  that  the  flag  is  not  the  identical  standard,  but  the  evidence  is 
such  that  I  believe  that  it  is,  notwithstanding  testimony  coming  from 
that  quarter.  Wich  the  four  others,  it  has  been  transmitted  to  head- 
quarters. No  casualties  occurred  on  our  side.  Early  in  the  day 
the  commander  of  the  enemy's  fleet  sentr  in  a  flag  of  truce  to  tender 


•ssistance  to  his  wounded,  and  probably  to  gain  information,  but  his 
offers  -vrerc  declined.  During  the  evening  of  the  9th  and  10th,  the 
prisoners,  both  whole  and  wounded,  were  brought  to  the  city,  and 
have  since  been  sent  into  the  interior. 

From  the  1 0th,  active  operations  of  hostility  on  the  part  of  the 
enemy  have  ceased.  His  working  parties,  however,  have  been  busily 
engaged  upon  Morris  Island,  at  Batteries  Wagner  and  Gregg,  and 
intermediate  points,  and  on  Black  Island,  evidently  preparing  for  a 
prosecution  of  the  siege,  by  long-range  fire  upon  Sullivan's  Island, 
James  Island,  and  the  harbor.  Our  batteries  have  been  kept  in  such 
activity  as  the  necessities  of  the  case  required  and  the  state  of  our 
ammunition  and  armament  permitted,  with  the  effect  of  retarding  his 
operations. 

The  above  report  has  given  the  principal  events  of  the  siege  from 
the  20th  of  August  to  the  present  date  as  they  have  occurred.  For 
other  details,  I  have  to  refer  to  the  reports  of  subordinate  command- 
ers, heretofore  and  herewith  transmitted  to  the  headquarters  of  the 
department. 

During  the  period  of  thirty  days  included  in  the  report,  the  forces 
under  my  command  have  been  increased,  by  the  arrival  of  the  brig- 
ades of  Brigadier  Generals  Evans  and  Anderson,  the  former  of 
which  has  been  stationed  in  Christ  Church  parish,  and  the  latter  has 
reinforced  Brigadier  General  Taliaferro's  command  upon  James 
Island. 

The  preparations  for  repulsing  the  attack  of  the  enemy  on  the  city 
by  the  batteries  of  the  interior  lines  have  been  steadily  progressed 
with,  and  the  troops  held  in  readiness  to  meet  the  enemy  at 
such  points  as  he  should  develop  an  attack. 

Curtailed  as  we  are  in  transportation,  it  has  been  impossible  to 
attempt  the  offensive,  except  by  artillery,  with  troops  in  force.  A 
gallant  endeavor  to  attack  the  Ironsides  was,  however,  made  on  the 
night  of  the  2l8t,  by  Captain  James  Carlin,  in  charge  of  a  steam  tor- 
pedo-boat, in  which  he  proceeded  down  the  channel,  throuf^h  the 
enemy's  fleet,  and  struck  the  frigate.  Unfortunately,  the  current 
and  other  causes  prevented  a  direct  collision,  and  having  been  discov- 
ered, the  attempt  was,  for  the  time,  abandone<l.  Captain  Carlin  making 
good  his  r3treat  into  the  harbor,  under  a  heavy  fire  from  the  Ironsides 
and  other  vessels. 

In  closing  the  report,  I  have  to  express  my  appreciation  of  the 
conduct  of  Brigadier  Generals  Ilagood  and  Colquitt,  and  Cofonels 
Keitt  and  Harrison,  who  have,  during  this  portion  of  the  siege,  com- 
manded our  forces  on  Morris  Island.  Generals  Ilagood  and  Colquitt, 
as  each  detail  came  round,  accepted  the  arduous  command  with  alac- 
rity, and  held  their  post  with  constancy,  during  their  command.  Col- 
onel L.  M.  Keitt,  who  relieved  Brigadier  General  Colquitt,  towards 
the  termination  of  the  siege,  held  his  command  until  the  last  extrem- 
ity, when  he  was  relieved  by  orders  from  superior  authority,  and 
brought  off  his  troops  with  eminent  success,  from  an  insular  position, 
in  the  immediate  proximity  of  an  overwhelming  land  and  naval  force 
2 


18 

of  the  enemj,  un<l3r  a  mortar  practice  almost  unparalleled  in  its  se- 
verity. 

Colonel  Alfred  Rhett,  commanding  Fort  Sumter,  &nd  Major  Ormsby 
Biandin,!^,  first  South  Carolina  artillery,  deserve  especial  considera- 
tion for  their  conduct,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  post  was  held 
during  the  connonade  of  Fort  Sumter.  Colonel  Rhett  remained  until 
relieved,  and  the  last  artillery  soldier  had  been  detached  from  the  fort. 

Colonel  William  Butler  and  the  oflScers  and  men  of  his  regiment, 
have  performed  their  duties  in  charge  of  the  batteries  on  Sullivan's 
Island,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  inspire  confidence  in  their  will  and 
ability  to  repulse  the  future  attacks  which  may  be  made  against  them. 

Lieutenant  Coloncd  Yates,  Major  Edward  Manigault,  Captains 
Mitchell  aud  Billop,  commanding  the  batteries  on  James  Island,  bear- 
ing upon  Morris  Island,  and  the  enemy's  approaches,  have  been  un- 
tiring in  their  efforts. 

The  gallant  conduct  of  Major  Stephen  Elliott,  commanding  Fort 
Sumter,  and  the  Charleston  battfilion,  under  Major  Julius  A.  Blake, 
constituting  the  garrison,  in  repulsing  the  attack  of  the  enemy's 
barf^es  on  the  morning  of  the  9th,  is  especially  to  be  commended. 

I  must  refer  to  the  reports  of  subordinate  commanders  for  the  names 
of  those  officers  who  have  distinguished  themselves  by  good  conduct, 
which  want  of  space  and  time  prevent  my  mentioning  in  this,  and  beg 
to  express  my  hearty  concurrence  in  their  recommendation. 

Brigadier  Generals  Taliaferro  and  Clingman,  in  command  on  James 
Island  and  Sullivan's  Island,  have  held  their  troops  in  constant  read- 
iness for  service,  and  by  prompt  manogement  of  details  from  their 
respective  commands,  have  assisted  no  little  in  enabling  the  service 
on  Morris  Island  to  continue  to  the  full  length  of  the  siege. 

I  have  to  renew  my  approval  of  the  conduct  of  Captain  William  F. 
Nance,  principal  Assistant  Adjutant  General,  attached  to  these  head- 
quarters, and  for  the  fourth  time,  to  recommend  him  for  promotion, 
long  since  earned  by  faithful  and  devoted  service,  as  well  as  gallantry 
in  the  field. 

Captain  B.  H.  Road,  A.  A.  General,  Lieutenants  Rogers  and  Wag- 
ner, A.  D.  C,  Captain  E.  M.  Seabrook,  volunteer  A.  D.  C,  and 
Lieutenant  Simms,  C.  S.  A.,  have  all  been  well  and  actively  engaged 
during  this  period.  Lieutenants  W.  G.  McCabe  and  T.  H.  Smith, 
provisional  artillery,  have  been,  during  the  time  mentioned,  on  duty 
under  direct  orders  from  these  headquarters,  and  have  performed  it 
to  my  full  satisfaction. 

Captain  C.  C.  Pinckney,  and  Lieutenant  Seabrook,  ordnance  offi- 
cers, have  fulfilled  their  difficult  duties  to  the  extent  of  the  material 
fit  their  disposal. 

Major  Motte  A.  Pringle,  post  quartermaster,  upon  whom  the  try- 
ing and  difficult  duties  of  transportation  have  principally  devolved,  has 
performed  them  with  energy  and  fidelity. 

Major  C.  H.  Suber,  district  quartermaster,  and  Major  N.  W. 
Bmith,  district  paymaster,  have  been  diligent  and  attentive  in  fur- 
nishing the  supplies  demanded  from  them. 

The  medical  staff,  at  the  different  posts,  have  distinguished  them- 


19 

selves  by  their  attention  to  the  sick  and  wounded.  I  refer  to  the  re- 
ports of  subordinate  commanders,  and  of  the  chief  medical  officers, 
for  the  names  of  those  who  deserve  special  mention  and  considera- 
tion. 

I  also  desire  to  acknowledge  the  valuable  services  rendered  by  the 
officers  and  men  of  the  Palmetto  State  and  Chicora  in  assisting  in  the 
removal  of  the  troops  from  Morris  Isli»nd. 

Accompanying  this  report,  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  subordinate  reports  already  sent  forward.  Major  Elliott's 
report  of  the  repulse  on  the  night  of  the  8th  instant ;  the  reports  of 
battery  commanders,  and  of  Col.  William  Butler,  commanding  artillery 
on  Sullivan's  Island  ;  of  the  action  of  the  8th  instant ;  lists  of  killed, 
wounded  and  missing  during  the  period  covered  by  this  report;  list 
of  ordnance  on  Morris  Island,  and  special  reports  in  the  cases  of 
Lieutenant  Johnson,  of  the  engineer  corps,  and  lance  sergeant  Ilugee, 
of  the  signal  corps. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be.  General, 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

R.  S.  RIPLEY, 
,  Brigadier  General  commanding. 

To  Brigadier  General  Thomas  Jordan, 

Chief  of  Staff. 


REPORT  OF  MAJOR  ELLIOTT  OF  THE  ASSAULT  UPOK 
FORT  SUMTER,  ON  THE  NIGHT  OF  SEPTEMBER  9th, 
1863. 

Headquartehs,  Fort  Sumter,  > 
September  12,  1863.         ] 

Captain  W.  F.  Nance,  A.  A,  G.  : 

Captain  :  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  a  report  of  the  late  action  at 
this  post. 

On  the  4th  instant,  pursuant  to  Special  Orders,  No,  298,  Head- 
quarters, 1st  Military  District,  Department  of  South  Carolina,  Geor-* 
gia  and  Florida,  I  assumed  command,  with  the  Charleston  battalion 
of  infantry,  commanded  by  Major  J.  A.  Blake,  as  a  garrison. 

All  the  available  guns  having  been  already  dismounted,  the  defence 
was  to  be  conducted  by  infantry. 

The  condition  of  the  work  was  as  follows:  The  gorge  **  A"  had 
been  so  cut  by  the  enemy's  artillery,  that  the  scarp  had  assumed  the 
form  of  an  inclined  plane,  with  a  dip  of  about  forty-five  degrees. 
The  wall  of  the  east  face  had  been  shot  away,  leaving  the  arches, 
which  had  been  filled  with  sand,  exposed.  The  north  face  was  com- 
paratively secure.  The  northwest  contained  several  serious  breaches, 
and  one  of  very  considerable  size,  B.  This  was  defended  by  a  barri- 
cade, the  others  were  securely  obstructed. 

The  west  face  was  uninjured  ;  the  lower  tier  of  embrasures  being 
merely  closed  by  their  usual  shutters ;  the  main  sally-port 
in  this  face  had  been  pierced  for  musketry  and  commanded  the 
wharf. 

Dispositions,  similar  to  the  following,  were  habitually  made  : 

Captain  Hopkins'  company  D,  forty-three  men,  lay  on  their  arms 
on  the  parapet  of  the  gorge,  and  Captain  Miles'  company  E,  twelve 
men,  at  the  breach  in  the  northwest  face.  The  guard,  except  the 
sentinels  on  post,  were  to  defend  the  sally-port.  Captain  Simons' 
company  B,  twenty-eight  men,  lay  at  the  entrance  on  the  west 
face. 

In  case  of  an  alarm.  Captain  Lords'  company  F,  forty-two  men,  was 
to  occupy  the  southwest  angle,  and  support  Captain  Hopkins,  on  the 
right.  Lieutenant  Saltus'  conpany  A,  twelve  men,  at  the  southeast, 
was  to  support  him  on  the  left.  Lieutenant  Harris'  company  G, 
twenty-five  men,  was  to  occupy  the  northeast  angle.  Captain  Mul- 
vany,  company  C,  forty-three  men  was,  to  support  Captain  Miles.  In 
case  their  services  should  not  be  needed,  the  last  four  companies  were 
to  remain  formed  on  the  parade,  below  their  respective  positions,  so  as 
to  be  ready  to  move  to  any  weak  point. 

I  had  procured  from  Charleston  a  supply  of  hand-grenades  and 
fire-balls.  Detachments  of  men  for  each  of  these  kinds  of  service 
were  kept  constantly  in  position,  at  three  different  points  of  the  par- 


21 

apet.  I  requested  Captain  Champneye,  the  engineer  in  charge,  to 
plant  two  fougasses  in  the' wharf,  leading  from  the  gorge  ;  during 
the  attack  he  kindly  superintended  their  delivery. 

Atx)ne,  A.  M.,  while  observing  a  monitor  that  had  taken  position 
near  the  fort,  I  saw  the  enemy  pulling  up  from  the  eastward,  in  two 
columns;  the  head  of  the  one  directed  upon  the  northeast,  that  of  the 
other  upon  the  southeast  angle  of  the  fort. 

I  ordered  up  three  companies  within  supporting  distance,  and  re- 
served our  fire  until  they  had  deployed,  and  commenced  to  land. 
The  outer  boats  replied  rapidly  for  a  few  minutes.  The  crews  of  those 
that  had  effected  a  landing  sought  refuge  from  a  galling  fire,  under 
the  projecting  masses  of  the  wall,  whence  grenades  and  fire-balls  soon 
dislodged  them. 

The  fire  of  the  *'  Chicora,"  lying  at  a  short  distance  to  the  north- 
ward, of  Sullivan's  Island  to  the  northest,  and  of  Fort  Johnson  to 
he  westward,  encircled  the  work,  and  effectually  assisted  to  prevent 
any  reinforcements  from   coming  up. 

The  enemy,  with  some  of  his  boats  disabled  by  hand-grenades, 
and  masses  of  masonry,  convenient  weapons  to  the  ready  hands 
of  our  garrison,  and  overwhelmed  by  our  own,  and  the  fire  of 
our  supports,  called  for  quarter,  and  were  ordered,  in  detail,  to 
make  their  way  to  the  gorge,  whence  they  were  transferred  to  a  place 
of  security.     Not  one  of  our  men  was  injured. 

The  whole  force  engaged  on  our  side  consisted  of  eighty  riflemen, 
and  twenty -four  men  detached  for  service  of  the  grenades  and  fire- 
balls. The  remainder  of  the  garrison  were  ready  for  action,  and  re- 
mained in  position. 

The  force  of  the  enemy  exceeded,  according  to  the  statement  of  cap- 
tured officers,  four  hundred  men.  Captured  papers  would  indicate  it 
to  have  been  eight  hundred  and  seventy. 

Ilis  ascertained  loss  was  six  killed,  fifteen  wounded,  and  one 
hundred  and  six  prisoners,  of  whom  eleven  were  officers.  We 
captured  also  five  barges,  five  stands  of  colors,  among  them  a  flag, 
said,  by  the  prisoners,  to  be  the  flag  borne  from  the  fort  by 
Major  Anderson  in  1861,  and  a  small  quantity  of  arms  and  ac- 
coutrements. Most  of  the  latter  were  thrown  overboard  by  the  pris- 
oners, and  lost. 

Several  boats  drifted  off  with  dead  and  wounded  men. 

The  action  was  brief  and  decisive,  as  they  found  us  prepared,  and 
were,  themselves,  surprised  at  meeting  more  than  a  nominal  resist- 
ance. 

The  Charleston  battalion  fully  sustained  its  well-earned  reputation, 
by  cheerfully  dUduring  the  hardships  of  their  position,  and  moving 
forward  with  energy  in  the  moment  of  danger. 

All  the  officers  performed  their  duties  well.  The  adjutant  of  the 
battalion,  Lieutenant  W.  Mason  Smith,  rendered  me  throughout,  great 
assistance. 

I  have  the  honor  to  refer  you  to  the  accompanying  papers  con- 
taining lists  of  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners,  and  captured  arms 
and  other  property,  and  also  a  sketch  of  the  fort,  showing  the  posi- 


09  ' 

tions    of  the   interior   communications,  and  the   dispositions  of  the 
troops. 

I  cannot  omit  to  mention  the  services  of  Captain  T.  J.  Champ- 
neys,  of  the  engineer  corps,  who  has  shown  great  zeal  and  ability  m 
conducting  the  defences  of  this  work. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

STEPHEN  ELLIOTT,  Jr., 
Major  of  Artillery,  P.  A.  C.  S.,  commanding. 


COLONEL  WILLIAM  BUTLER'S  REPORT  OF  ACTION  WITH 
IRON-CLAD    FLEET    ON    THE    7th    AND    8th    SEPTEM- 
.    BER,   1863. 

Headquarters  Artillery,  ) 

Sullivan's  Islinp,   September   12,    ISG3.  5 

Captain  En\v%Rn  White,  A.  A.  G.  : 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  make  the  following  report  of  the  action 
between  the  batteries  on  this  island  and  the  iron-clad  fleet  of  the 
enemy  on  the  7th  and  8th  of  this  month  : 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  7tb,  about  six,  P.  M.,  five  monitors  ani 
the  frigate  Ironsides  engaged  the  batteries  until  after  dark,  resulting 
only  in  cne  casualty  at  our  batteries.  First  Lieutenant  E.  A.  Erwii\ 
was  killed  by  a  shell  at  Beauregard  Battery.  Lieutenant  Erwin  had 
just  returned  from  service  at  Morris  Island,  and  escaped  unhuit,  to 
meet  death  at  a  less  exposed  position  He  was  more  than  ordinarily 
intelligent,  brave  and  conscientious.  The  regiment  has  lost  in  hiro 
one  of  its  best  oflicers 

The  Ironsides  continued  to  fire  an  occasional  shot  after  we  had 
ceased  firing,  until  about  nine  o'clcck,  P.  M.  It  wa&,  however,  so 
dark  that  the  vessels  could  not  be  seen. 

On  the  morning  of  the  Sth  one  of  the  monitors,  supposed  to  be  the 
Weehawkcn,  which  had,  the  day  previous,  taken  a  position  very  near 
the  beach  (^f  Morris  Island,  in  the  channel  leading  to  Cvmmings' 
Point,  nearly  opposite  to  Foit  i\Ioultrie,  was  observed  to  show  so 
much  of  her  hull  as  to  lead  to  the  belief  that  the  boat  was  aground 
I  received,  also,  early  in  the  morning,  a  dispatch  from  Major  Elliot!;, 
commanding  Fort  Sumter,  giving  his  belief  that  the  boat  was  aground 
and  could  be  destroyed.  Learning  from  a  conversation  with  General 
Clingman,  commanding  Sullivan's  Island,  that  it  would  meet  with  h\s 
sanction,  I  directed  a  slow  fire  to  be  opened  upon  the  monitor  from 
the  treble  bantled  IJrookc  gun  and  ten  inch  columbiids,  I  think,  with 
some  effect.  The  fire  was  returned,  and  nbout  nine  o'clock,  A.  M., 
five  other  monitors,  with  the  Ironsides,  were  seen  approaching, 
whether  to  shield  the  boat  that  was  thou;]'ht  to  be  aground,  or  whcthct 
it  was  a  preconcerted  move,  1  am  unable  to  say.  About  this  time  J> 
shot  or  shell  from  the  Weehawkcn  struck  the  muzzle  of  an  eight-inch 
colurabiad  in  Fort  Moultrie  and  glunced  into  some  shell  boxes,  which 
were  protected  by  a  traverse,  producing  an  explosion,  killing  sixteen 
and  wounding  twelve  men  of  company  E,  first  South  Carolina 
infantry,  Captain  R  P.  Smith.  This  disaster  rendered  it  necessary 
to  replace  company  E  by  company  F,  Captain  B.  S.  Burnett,  which 
arrived,  under  fire,  from  the  Beauregard  Battery. 

The  Ironsides  toak  a  position  some  fifteen  hundred  yards  distant. 
anil  opened  a  very  heavy  fire  from  her  broadsides.  The  monitord 
took  position.'}  varying  from  nine  hundred  to  fourteen  hundred  yard^, 


24 

all  directing  their  fire  upon  Fort  Moultrie  and  the  batteries  adjoining. 
Batteries  Bee  and  Beauregard  also  received  a  portion  of  their  fire. 
The  batteries  replied,  but,  o^JSMng  to  the  scant  amount  of  ammunition 
on  hand,  the  fire  was  not  so  rapid  as  that  of  the  fleet. 

After  the  action  had  continued  about  five  hours  the  fleet  withdrew, 
one  of  the  monitors  I  think  disabled,  the  Weehawken  remaining  in 
the  same  position  it  occupied  in  the  morning. 

Besides  the  loss  produced  by  the  explosion  before  referred  to,  three 
men  were  killed,  two  officers.  Captain  G  A.  Wardlaw,  slightly,  and 
Lieutenant  D.  B.  DeSaussure  severely,  and  fourteen  men  wounded  at 
Fort  Moultrie. 

At  Battery  Bee,  one  officer  and  one  man  were  slightly  wounded, 
and  at  Battery  Beauregard  one  officer  (Lieutenant  Edward  Macbeth) 
slightly  wounded. 

Two  guns  in  Fort  Moultrie  were  disabled,  the  eight-inch  columbiad 
before  referred  to,  and  oce  rifle  thirty-two  pounder,  which  had  the 
right  trunnion  knocked  off"  by  a  shot  or  shell  from  the  enemy. 

No  other  material  damage  was  done  to  the  batteries. 

I  regret  to  say  that  the  treble-banded  Brooke  gun  gave  way  during 
the  action,  a  crack  being  made  in  the  band  in  rear  of  the  vent  and 
through  the  breech.  I  beg  leave  to  refer  to  the  report  of  Lieutenant 
Dwight  for  an  explanation  of  the  circumstances  attending  the  loss  of 
this  valuable  gun. 

The  firing  at  the  several  batteries  on  the  island  was  accurate  and 
deliberate,  and  it  affords  me  great  pleasure  to  commend  the  conduct 
of  both  officers  and  men  of  my  command. 

I  enclose  herewith  the  reports  of  battery  commanders,  with  a  list 
of  killed  and  wounded. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

WM.  BUTLER,  Colonel  commanding. 


REPORT   OF    ROBERT   DeTREVILLE,  MAJOR    COMMAND- 
ING,  OF  ENGAGEMENT  ON  7th    SEPTEMBER,   1863. 

Headquarters    Fort  Moultrie,  S.   C,  ) 
September  7,   1863.    *  J 
Lieutenant  M.  King,  A.  A.  G.  : 

^  Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  this  evening,  about  six 
0  clock,  P.  M.,  five  monitors  and  the  Ironsides  were  reported 
approaching  the  fort.  The  guns  were  manned,  and  when  within 
range  fire  was  opened.  All  the  boats  replied  rapidly,  striking  the 
fort  a  number  of  times,  but  withouc  any  other  damage  than  destroy- 
ing a  portion  of  the  barracks.  The  fire  continued  very  rapidly  and 
with  precision  from  the  boats,  our  guns  replying  steadily  for  about 
two  hours,  when  the  enemy  withdrew. 
No  casualties  to  report. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

ROBERT  DeTREVILLE,  Major  commanding. 


REPORT  OF  MAJOR  ROBERT  DkTREVILLE.  COMMAND- 
ING FORT  MOULTRIE,  OF  ENGAGEMENT  WITH  IRON- 
CLAD FLEET,  ON  SEPTEMBER  8x11,  1S63. 

Headquarteus,  Fort  Moultrie,  S.  C.  ^ 
September,  9th,  18G3.      S 
Lieutenant  M,  King,  A.  yi.  G.  : 

Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  yesterday  morning,  8th  in- 
stant, one  of  the  monitors,  the  Weehawken,  was  observed  to  be 
aground,  opposite  this  post,  and  fire  was  at  once  opened  on  her  with 
effect,  many  of  our  shots  having  been  seen  to  strike  the  hull,  of  which 
a  large  portion  was  exposed,  by  the  lowness  of  the  tide.  The  steamer 
promptly  replied,  and  soon  brought  to  her  assistance  the  "  Ironsides" 
and  five  other  monitors.  At  about  eight  o'clock  A.  M.,  the  Ironsides 
came  to  anchor  about  twelve  hundred  yards  from  the  fort,  and  the 
monitors  took  positions  higher  up  the  river,  and  about  eight  hundred 
yards,  and  together  opened  a  terrific  fire  from  rifle  and  fifteen-inc^ 
guns,  using  shot,  shell,  shrapnel,  grape  and  incendiary  shell. 

I  regret  to  announce,  here,  an  accidenc  most  terrible  in  its  effects, 
and  but  for  which,  our  casualties  would  have  been  but  slight.  A  fif- 
t-een-inch  shell  from  the  Weehawken,  struck  the  muzzle  of  an  eight- 
inch  columbiad,  and  glancing  off,  exploded  among  a  large  number  of 
shell  boxes  and  ammunition  chests,  (which  had  been  placed  behind  a 
traverse,  and  at  which  a  number  of  the  men  of  Captain  Smith's  com- 
pany were  stationed,)  killing  instantly  sixteen  men,  and  wounding 
twelve  others.  Captain  Smith  himself,  narrowly  escaped  by  leaping 
from  the  parapet  into  the  ditch  in  front  of  the  fort. 

The  fire  from  the  enemy  now  became  furious,  and  broadside  after 
broadside  from  the  Ironsides  would  tear  through  the  buildings  of  the 
fort,  sending  fragments  of  every  description  in  every  direction,  and 
rendering  it  almost  impossible  to  pass  from  one  portion  of  the  fort  to 
another.  But  nobly  did  officers  and  men  remain  at  their  guns  and 
return  their  fire.  Captain  Burnett's  company  came  from  the  Beaure- 
gard Battery,  under  a  storm  of  shot  and  shell,  and  relieved  Captain 
Smith,  whose  men  had  been  nearly  all  killed  and  wounded  by  the  ex- 
plosion already  mentioned. 

Lieutenant  D.  G.  Calhoun  deserves  great  credit  for  the  manner  in 
which  he  discharged  his  duties  as  officer  of  the  day,  in  carrying  out 
the  arrangements  for  the  removal  of  the  dead  and  wounded,  and  fre- 
quently in  extinguishing  fires  in  different  parts  of  the  fort,  during 
the  most  severe  part  of  the  bombardment. 

Captain  G.  A.  Wardlaw,  A.  Q.  M.,  volunteered  his  services  at  one 
of  the  guns,  and  was  conspicuous  for  his  coolness,  and  the  manner  in 
which  he  handled  his  piece,  but  was  himself  knocked  down  by  a  piece 
of  one  of  the  traverses,  which  fortunately  inflicted  no  other  damage 
than  a  momentary  unconsciousness  and  some  slight  bruises. 

Lieutenant  DeSaussure,  while  gallantly  fighting  his  gun,  was 
struck  by  a  large  fragment  of  stone,  which  fractured  his  collar-bone, 
and  it  is  feared  inflicted  some  internal  injury. 


27 

Our  fire  was  kept  up  steadily  until  two  o'clock  P.  M.,  when  the 
enemy  withdrew ;  one  of  the  monitors  being  evidently  damaged,  and 
toAved  by  two  others.  The  fire  from  the  fort  was  deliberate  and  re- 
markably accurate,  nearly  every  shot  striking  the  boat  at  which  it 
was  aimed.  As  I  cannot  mention  any  one  more  conspicuous  for  gal- 
lantry than  another,  I  must  content  myself  with  simply  saying  that 
officers  and  men  did  their  whole  duty,  and  submit  the  names  of  the 
ofiicers  and  companies  engaged:  The  batteiy  on  the  east  was  com- 
manded by  Captain  Valentine,  company  **  G,"  with  Lieutenant  De 
Saussure  ;  the  battery  next  on  the  west,  was  commanded  by  Captain 
Witherspoon,  company  "  C,"  and  the  next  battery  by  Captain  Smith, 
company  "  E,"  with  Lieutenants  Calhoun  and  Edgerton,  afterwards 
by  Captain  Burnett,  company  '*  F,"  with  Lieutenants  Cailliard,  Wha- 
ley  and  Marshall. 

Lieutenant  Perrin  rendered  very  efficient  services  as  ordnance  offi- 
cer, and  Surgeon  Carter,  and  assistant  surgeon  Keller  assiduously 
supplied  the  demands  of  the  wounded. 

Two  of  the  guns  of  the  fort  were  placed  hnrs  du  combat,  the  one  an 
eight-inch  columbiad,  already  referred  to,  and  the  other  a  rifle  thirty- 
two-pounder,  the  trunnion  of  which  wag  knocked  off  by  a  piece  of 
shell. 

About  one  o'clock  A.  M.,  this  morning,  on  the  signal  that  an  at- 
tack was  being  made  on  Fort  Sumter,  we  again  opened  fire  with  shell 
and  grape,  firing  so  as  to  pass  closely  to  the  right  and  left  of  tbe 
fort,  and  on  a  signal  of  "  all  right,"  again  ceased  firing. 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit,  herewith,  a  report  of  the  casualties, 
the  number  of  wounded  boing  far  smaller  than  was  at  first  reported, 
many  of  the  wounds  being  slight,  and  the  men  returned  to  duty. 

Company  *' C,"  Captain  B.  J.  Witherspoon,  commanding — Killed: 
Privates  A.  J.  Bennett  and  M.  D.  Hilton — 2.  Wounded  :  Sergeant 
(jrrissora,  corporal  Kile,  privates  Adams,  Bolan,  Helms,  J.  A.  .Tobn- 
son,  W.  H.  Johnson,  W.  Mangum,  Queen,  Roses,  Woodley — 1 1  ;  all 
slight. 

Company  "  E,"  Captain  R.  Press  Smith,  commanding — Killed: 
Corporal  M.  Spires,  privates  M.  L.  Casey,  P.  Farmer,  A.  W.  Ged- 
dings,  Wesley  Hall,  J.  G.  Jeans,  J.  L.  Lalley,  J.  L.  Langton,  Perry 
Levina,  Peter  McGovern,  Andrew  Morie,  John  Myers,  J.  N.  Roberts, 
Joseph  Scalf,  R.  Tinsley — 16.  Wounded:  Corporal  Dolan,  privates 
Cams,  Knight,  Lotz,  McKinon,  Morie,  Smith,  Spires,  Boraan,  Har- 
rington, Poison.  Phillips — 12. 

Company  '*  F,"  Captain  B.  S.  Burnett,  commanding — Killed: 
None.     Wounded:  Private  M.  Barry — 1. 

Company  "  G,"  Captain  J.  Valentine,  commanding — Killed  :  Pri- 
vate Langton — 1.  Wounded:  Lieutenant  D.  B.  De  Saussure,  pri- 
vates Vicenti  and  R.  M.  Smith — 3. 

Recapitulation — Killed,  19.     Wounded,  27.     Total,  46. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted  by 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

ROBERT  DeTREVILLE, 

Major  commanding. 


REPORT  OF  ORDNANCE  AND  ORDNANCE  STORES  LEFT 
AT  BATTERY  WAGNER — EDMUND  MAZYCK,  LIEU- 
TENANT AND  ORDNANCE   OFFICER. 

Charleston,  September  6,  1863, 

Captain  T.  A.  Huguenin, 

Chief  of  Artillery,  Morris  Island  : 

Captain  :  In  accordance  with  your  instructions,  I  hare  the  honor 
to  make  the  following  report  of  the  amount  of  ordnance  stores  in 
Battery  Wagner  at  the  time  of  its  evacuation.  I  regret  that  this 
report  cannot  be  given  in  exact  numbers.  The  reason  for  this  I  will 
hereafter  explain. 

The  armament  consisted  of  thirteen  guns,  including  shell  guns, 
howitzers,  columbiads  and  mortars. 

Of  shot,  shell,  &c.,  the  following  is  an  approximate  : 

Ten-inch  shot,  about 20 

Ten-inch  shell,  about U)0 

Ten-inch  grape,  about 40 

Ten-inch  canister,  about 40 

Eight-inch   shell,    about 115 

Eight-inch  canister,  about 280 

Eight-inch  grape,  about 200 

Thirty-two-pounder  shot,  about 100 

Thirty-two-pounder    canister,  about 150 

Thirty-two-pounder    grape,  about 100 

Thirty-two-pounder  shell,  about 100 

Twelve- pounder  shrapnel,  about 100 

Twelve-pounder    shell,   about 50 

Twelve-pounder  canister,  about 120 

There  were  other  articles  in  the  magazine,  such  as  cartridge  bags 
and  [.necessary  implements ;  but,  of  course,  the  supply  was  quite 
limited,  as  we  are  all  aware  that  the  consumption  of  articles  was 
enormous  and  the  means  of  supply  extremely  limited.  I  endeavored 
to  save  as  many  articles  as  possible,  and  sent  to  Cummings'  Point,  to 
be  transported  to  the  city,  about  fifty  rifles  and  double-barrel  shot 
guns;  also,  fifteen  hundred  assorted  fuses,  and  as  many  friction 
tubes.     All  of  these  articles,  I  hope,  will  arrive, 

I  regret  not  being  able  to  give  a  more  exact  account  of  the  stores  ; 
but,  for  prudential  reasons,  all  my  accounts  and  papers  had  to  be 
destroyed.  I  shall  endeavor  to  think  over  the  matter,  and,  if 
necessary,  add  any  articles  which  may  be  herein  omitted.  The 
short  time  allowed  for  making  my  report  has  also  interfered,  I 
have  been  unable  to  see  Lieutenant  Revely  and  obtain  from  him 


2d 

an  account  of  such  stores,  as  he  had  as  ordnance  oflScer  at  Battery 
Gregg. 

With  much  respect,  I  am  your  obedient,  &c., 

EDMUND  MAZYCK, 
Lieutenant  Artillery  and  Ordnance  Officer. 
Official : 

W.  Gordon  McCabe,  A.  A.   A.   General. 


[endorsement.] 

N.  B. — There  was  a  considerable  quantity  of  projectiles   at   Cum- 
mings'  Point,  not  hauled  up,  of  which  I  could  get  no  report. 

n.  BRYAN,  A.  A.  G. 


REPORT  OF  C.  C.  PINCKNEY,  CAPTAIN  OF  ARTILLERY, 
AND  ORDNANCE  OFFICER,  FIRST  MILITARY  DISTRICT, 
SOUTH  CAROLINA,  STATING  SOME  CIRCUMSTANCES 
CONNECTED    WITH   THE   EVACUATION    OF    BATTERY 

WAGNER. 

Headquarters  1st  MruTARy  Dis.  S.  C.  Ordnance  Departjient, 

Charledoji,  Sept.  8th,  18G3. 

Brigadier  General  R.  S.  Ripley, 

Commanding  \st  Military  District,  S.    C.  ; 

General:  In  obedience  to  your  instructions,  I  have  the  honor  to 
submit  the  following  statemeat  of  what  passed  under  my  observation 
at  Battery  Wagner,  on  the  night  of  the  avacuation  of  that  post. 

On  the  evening  of  that  day  I  took  down  some  spikes,  sIqw  match, 
safety  fuze,  sledges,  &c.,  to  Morris  Island.  I  went  at  once  to  Bat- 
tery Wagner,  taking  the  spikes  in  my  hand.  I  had  made  requisition 
for  rat-tail  files,  in  August  last,  but  had  received  none  ;  these  were  in- 
tended as  substitutes. 

I  found  Captain  Huguenin,  with  the  ordnance  officer,  Lieutenant 
Mazyck,  arranging  the  safety  fuze  previously  sent,  and  gave  them 
my  assistance.  The  splicing  was  carefully  done,  the  ends  of  the  fuze 
split  and  primed.  Captain  Huguenin,  stated  that  he  had  tried  sev- 
eral pieces  of  the  fuze,  but  I  repeated  the  experiment,  and  found  it 
burned  perfectly  well.  When  the  main  body  of  the  garrision  was 
withdrawn,  I  remained  to  assist  in  the  final  dispositions.  The  proper 
time  having  elapsed,  Lieutenant  Mazyck,  assisted  by  Lieutenant  Ross, 
twenty-fifth  South  Carolina  volunteers,  was  left  to  lay  the  fuze,  and 
I,  accompanied  by  Captain  Huguenin,  to  spike  the  guns.  Here  we 
encountered  great  difficulty.  The  vents  of  most  of  the  pieces  were 
greatly  enlarged.  In  many  cases  the  spikes  dropped  losely  in,  and 
we  were  obliged  to  use  two  and  sometimes  three  of  them.  We  could 
have  remedied  this  in  a  measure,  had  it  been  practicable  to  drive  them 
tightly  and  hammer  the  edges  of  the  orifice  over  them,  but  Captain 
Huguenin's  orders  enforced  the  most  perfect  quiet,  and  the  necessity 
was  sufficiently  obvious.  We  obviated  the  difficulty,  as  well  as  it  was 
possible,  by  binding  up  a  haversack  and  hammering  through  that,  but 
it  could  not  be  thoroughly  effective.  Having  thus  spiked  each  piece 
in  succession,  excep-.  the  ten-inch  colurnbiad.  Captain  Huguenin  ar- 
ranged a  lanyard  for  firing  this  gun,  the  wheels  being  in  gear,  and  we 
returned  to  the  mazagine.  The  catridges  were  piled  up  against  one 
wall,  a  large  number,  and  the  fuze  inserted  in  one  of  them,  going 
down  to  the  bottom,  and  carefully  trained  out  of  the  door,  arid  along 
the  side  of  the  covered  way  to  avoid  the  feet  of  any  passers  by.  We 
then  waited  the  courier  from  Colonel  Keitt,  Lieutenant  Ross  and 
myself,  bj  Captain  Huguenin's  order,  joining  the  lookouts  in  firing  an 


81 

occasional  rifle  from  tlic  parapet,  to  keep  up  a  show  of  occupatioD. 
The  courier  came.  Lieutenant  Ross  then  took  the  lanyard,  and  Cap- 
tain Iluguenin  ordered  "  the  last  gun  from  Battery  Wagner,  fire  ! "' 
But  the  primer  failed.  Another  gave  no  better  result.  We  then 
priraeil  with  powder  from  a  Whitworth  rifle  catridge,  but  the  piece 
could  not  be  fired.  We  then  got  out  one  of  the  two  spikes  from  the 
thirty -two-pounder,  but  the  other  prevented  the  p:i9sage  of  the  flame. 
So  much  time  was  r.ow  consumed  that  Captain  Iluguenin  thought  best 
to  abandon  the  attempt. 

He  lit  the  fu/.e,  all  of  us  watching  to  see  that  it  was  burning  cor- 
rectly. We  then  abandoned  Battery  Wagner.  Great  was  our  disap- 
pointment as  we  looked  in  vain,  during  our  passage  to  the  city,  for 
the  expected  explosion  Possibly  a  fragment  of  shell  may  have  cut 
the  fuze  before  it  burned  to  the  door.  1  can  think  of  no  other  acci- 
dent.    No  precaution  was  omitted. 

Though  not  officially  present,  1  trust  I  may  be  allowed,  aa  a  spec- 
tator, to  bear  witness  to  the  coolness,  Judgment  and  fidelity,  of  Cap- 
tain Huguenin  and  the  officers  under  him,  in  the  discharge  of  his  del- 
icate task  confided  to  them. 

I  have  the  honor,  General, to  be 

Very  lespectfully,  vour  ob't  serv't, 

C.  C.  PINCKNEY, 
Capt.  Artillery  and  Ord    officer,  \si  Mil.  Dist.,  S.  C. 
Official  : 

W.  GoRi>v)N  McC.^BE,  .4.  J.  A.  General. 


CAPTAIN  LESESNE'S  REPORT  OF  THE  EVACUATION  OF 
BATTERY  GREGG. 

Charleston,  September  7,  1863. 
Major  Henrt  Bryan,  A.  A.  G.: 

Major  :  I  have  the  honor  to  report,  that,  in  obedience  to  orders 
received  from  Colonel  Keitt,  I  went  to  Battery  Gregg,  on  the  morning 
of  the  5th  instant,  and  took  command  of  the  post.  The  battery  was 
shelled  heavily  during  the  day  by  the  enemy's  land  batteries,  and  for 
a  part  of  the  day  by  the  Ironsides,  causing  considerable  injury  to 
the  work,  and  a  jiumber  of  casualties.  I  am  not  able  to  state  the 
exact  number.  Information  having  been  received  that  the  enemy  in- 
tended an  attack  by  water  on  the  battery,  I  had  the  guns  of  the 
battery  trained  on  the  most  probable  points  of  attack,  double  loaded 
with  canister,  one  ten-inch  columbiad  bearing  on  the  beach  in  front, 
and  one  on  +he  extreme  point  in  rear.  Two  twelve-pounder  howitzers 
were  placed  on  the  beach  to  the  right  of  the  work,  running  from  the 
right  of  Battery  Gregg  to  the  beach.  The  artillery  was  supported  by 
Major  Gardener,  commanding  the  twenty-seventh  Georgia. 

About  half-past  one.  A,  M.,  the  enemy  advanced  upon  the  point 
in  about  twenty  boats.  When  within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  beach, 
I  opened  upon  them  with  the  ten-inch  gun,  followed  by  the  howitzers. 
The  infantry  commenced  6ring  shortly  afterwards.  The  enemy  re- 
turned the  fire  with  their  boat  howitzers  and  musketry.  A  few  suc- 
ceeded in  landing,  but  quickly  returned  to  their  boats.  After  the  fire 
had  been  kept  up  for  about  fifteen  minutes  the  whole  force  returned.  / 
Our  casualties  were  one  man  mortally,  and  about  five  slightly, 
wounded.  The  enemy's  loss  is  not  known,  but  is  supposed  to  have 
been  heavy.  The  fire  of  the  enemy  was  kept  up  steadily,  on  the  6tb, 
until  evening — material  damage  being  done  to  the  work.  Casualties 
seven. 

Having  received  orders,  about  half-past  seven,  P.  M.,  to  hold  myself 
in  readiness  to  evacuate  the  work,  spike  the  guns,  and  blow  it  up, 
with  the  assistance  of  Captain  Lee  and  Lieutenant  Stiles,  of  the  en- 
gineers, I  laid  the  safety-match  in  loose  powder  in  the  magazine, 
running  it  out  to  the  parapet  of  the  work.  The  match  was  laid  on 
planks,  so  as  to  prevent  any  moisture  from  reaching  it.  The  men 
composing  the  garrison  of  the  battery  weie  embarked  i;iimediately 
after  the  last  of  the  twenty-seventh  Georgia.  On  receiving  orders 
from  Colonel  Keitt,  I  spiked  the  two  ten- inch  guns,  breaking  the 
spikes  flush  off"  with  the  guns  ;  had  the  field-pieces  spiked  and  thrown 
overboard,  with  all  their  ammunition,  and  directed  Major  Holcombe, 
C.  S.,  who  had  volunteered  to  assist  me,  to  light  the  match.  The 
match  went  out  at  first,  but  on  being  lighted  again  burnt  well.  On 
Colonel  Keitt's  countermanding  the  order  for  lighting  it  was  found 
impossible  to  extinguish  it,  and  it  could  not  be  cut  with  the  knife  which 


3S 

vre  had.  This  was  but  a  few  minutes  before  wc  left  the  point,  and  it  was 
then  within  the  doorway  of  the  raaga/ine,  and  burning  freely.  I 
omitted  to  mention  that  the  match  was  cut  off  to  burn  about  fifteen 
minutes,  it  burning  a  foot  in  fifteen  seconds. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

HENRY  R.  LESESNE, 
Captain  First  South  Carolina  Artillery, 
Official : 

W.  Gordon  McCabe,  A.  A.  A.  G. 


[knporsement.] 

In  repelling  tlie  boat  attack  on  the  night  of  the  5rh.  the  field  how- 
itzers were  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Macbeth,  company  A,  first 
South  Carolina  infantry,  who  handled  them  with  gallantry  and  skill. 

IT.  BRYAN.  A.  A.  G. 


REPORT  OF  THE  EVACUATION  OF  MORRIS  ISLAND  ON 
THE  NIGHT  OF  THE  6th  INSTANT,  WITH  THE  EN- 
DORSED REMARKS  OF  THE  COMMANDING  GENERAL. 

Charleston,  September  7,   1863. 

Captain  W.  F.  Nance, 

Assistant  Adjutant  GeTieral  First  Military  District, 

Department  of  South  Carolina,  Georgia  and  Florida  : 

Captain  :  I  have  the  honor  to  make  the  following  report  of  the 
evacuation  ot  Morris  Island,  including  Batteries  Wagner  and  Gregg, 
by  the  troops  under  my  command  on  the  night  of  the  6th  instant. 

This  step  was  authorized  by  a  dispatch  sent  by  signals  from  district 
headquarters,  and  received  by  me  between  four  and  five,  P.  M.,  and 
directed  in  detail  by  a  special  order  from  department  headquarters, 
which  was  received  from  Captain  McCabe,  of  General  Ripley's  staff, 
at  dark,  and  was  necessitated  from  the  untenable  condition  of  Battery 
Wagner,  the  greatly  exhausted  condition  of  the  garrison,  and  con- 
giant  artillery  and  sharpshooting  fire  of  the  enemy  which  prevented 
repairs. 

The  gradual  approaches  of  the  enemy  had  passed  the  front  of  the 
battery  and  the  termination  of  their  sap  was  not  over  fifty  yards  from 
the  parapet  of  the  sea  face,  enabling  them  to  throw  a  mass  of  troops 
upon  this  flank,  when  our  men  were  mostly  in  the  bomb-proofs,  where 
I  was  forced  to  keep  them  by  the  increasing  fire  of  mortars  and  rifle 
guns  on  land,  with  an  enfilading  fire  from  the  fleet  during  most  of 
the  day. 

The  salient  on  the  left  of  the  battery  had  been  swept  by  such  a 
terrible  cross  fire  as  to  breach  the  parapet  and  throw  it  into  irregular 
shapes,  rendering  the  ascent  from  the  moat  easy  ;  and,  moreover,  men 
could  not  be  kept  there  during  this  cross  fire  without  the  certainty  of 
most  of  them  being  wounded  or  stunned.  This  salient  is  the  part  of 
the  work  gained  by  the  enemy  in  the  assault  of  the  ISth  of  July. 

As  soon  as  the  evacuation  was  authorized,  I  gave  detailed  instruc> 
tions  to  the  regimental  commanders,  viz :  Lieutenant  Colonel  John 
G.  Pressby,  commanding  twenty-fifth  South  Carolina  volunteers  ; 
Major  James  Gardner,  commanding  twenty-seventh  Georgia  volun- 
teers ;  Captain  W.  P.  Crawford,  commanding  twenty-eighth  Georgia 
volunteers,  lor  the  gradual  movement  of  their  men  to  Cummings' 
Point,  so  as  to  keep  up  an  efi"ective  front  to  the  enemy  aild  insure 
silence  and  promptness.  They  expressed  their  hearty  approval,  be- 
lieving an  evacuation  necessary  to  prevent  a  useless  sacrifice  of  men. 
The  men  went  down  as  if  for  special  duty,  and,  though  the  most 
intelligent  knew  the  fact,  nearly  all  went  off  as  if  going  to  be 
relieved. 

Captain  Huguenin,  chief  of  artillery  was  promptly  notified  of  the 
•tops  to  be  taken  and  made  his  arrangements,  with  my  sanction,  for 
ihe  removal  of  the  artillery^  and  the  written  orders,  when  received. 


35 

>  ^ 
were  submitted  to  him  for  his  guidance.  He  was  entrusted  with  the 
delicate  duty  of  bringing  up  the  extreme  rear,  and  firing  the  only 
magazine  which  contained  powder,  Lieutenant  Mazyck,  ordnance 
officer,  being  ordered  to  assist  him.  His  report,  with  Lieutenant 
Mazyck's,  is  enclosed,  marked  **  A,"  and  is  referrcMl  to  as  an  import- 
ant portion  of  this  report.  • 

At  dark  I  sent  to  Captain  H.  R.  Lesesne,  who  was  commanding 
Battery  Gregg,  an  order  to  prepare  to  blow  up  his  magazine  and 
render  his  guns  unserviceable,  directing  him  to  confer  with  Captain 
F.  D.  Lee,  of  the  engineers,  who  had  read  the  orders.  I  had  no  copy 
of  the  detailed  order,  which  came  late,  to  give  him,  which  was  thus 
not  communicated  to  him.  I  refer  you  to  his  report,  marked  *•  B," 
for  particulars. 

To  anticipate  the  possibility  of  a  pursuit  by  the  enemy  while  re- 
treating from  Wagner,  I  ordered  Lieutenant  Robert  M,  Stiles,  chief 
engineer  at  Battery  Gregg,  to  construct  a  rifle  pit  across  the  island 
at  a  narrow  point  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  advance  of  Battery 
Gregg.  This  was  accomplished  by  him  after  dark,  while  under  mor- 
tar fire,  with  a  force  of  seventy-seven  negroes  in  his  charge.  He 
also  cut  away  most  of  the  earth  .covering  of  the  magazine  on  the  side 
towards  our  James  Island  batteries,  then  sent  his  negroes  off  to  Fort 
Johnson,  using  a  large  flat  left  at  Cummings'  Point  for  that  purpose 

Owing  to  the  necessity  of  protecting  the  already  reduced  garrison, 
I  had,  early  on  the  morning  of  the  6th  instant,  made  the  following 
disposition  of  my  troops. 

The  twenty-seventh  Georgia  regiment,  effective  total  175  men, 
commanded  by  Major  Gardner,  a  gallant  and  intelligent  officer,  were 
in  the  sand  hills,  well  protected  in  pits  dug  there,  the  hillocks  being 
natural  traverses.  Fifty  men  of  the  twenty-eighth  Georgia,  under 
Captain  Adams,  who  had  picketed  the  beach  during  the  night,  were 
also  there,  the  remainder  of  the  regiment,  numbering  one  hundred 
and  thirty  effectives,  were  assigned  to  the  extreme  right  of  Battery 
Wagner,  about  forty-five  kept  out  on  the  lines,  and  the  remainder  in 
the  bomb-proof. 

The  twenty-fifth  South  Carolina  (Eutaw)  regiment,  which  had  been 
terribly  reduced  by  casualties  and  sickness  during  the  day  and  night, 
proceeding  to  an  effective  total  of  about  three  hundred  and  sixty-five 
men,  manned  the  left  and  centre  of  the  battery,  keeping  only  a  guard 
of  each  company  on  its  respective  position  of  the  lines,  the  remainder 
in  the  bomb-proof.  Two  companies  of  this  regiment  were  sent  to  the 
sand  hills  for  protection  and  to  make  room  in  the  bomb-proof  where 
several  men  had  fainted  on  the  5th  from  excessive  heat  and  foul  air. 

Major  Gardner  was  ordered  to  cover  the  retreat  with  the  twenty- 
seventh  Georgia,  in  case  of  pursuit  by  the  enemy  ;  in  the  mean  time 
to  picket  the  beach  at  dark  and  hold  his  reserve  in  readiness  to  sup- 
port Battery  Wagner. 

At  early  dark,  I  ordered  Lieutenant  Colonel  Pressby,  commanding 
twenty-fifth  South  Carolina,  a  very  intelligent  and  reliable  officer,  to 
detail  four  companies  (about  one  hundred  men)  to  take  a  field  piece 
from  the  left  curtain  to  Cummings'  Point  and  embark  on  the  first  boats. 


36 

Half  an  hour  after,  Captain  Crawford,  commanding  twenty-seventh 
Georgia  volunteers,  v^as  ordered  to  move  a  howitzer  from  the  right  of 
Wagner  to  the  rifle  pit  near  Gregg,  place  the  piece  in  position  there, 
collect  his  regiment  from  line-of-battle  in  rifle  pits  and  when  notified 
that  transpQrtation  was  ready,  to  send  one  company  at  a  time  to  em- 
bark. 

Major  Gardner  was  ordered  to  man  the  rifle  pits  when  Captain 
Crawford  had  left. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Pressby  was  ordered  to  extend  his  lines,  and 
cover  the  line  manned  by  the  twenty-eighth  Georgia,  as  soon  as  that 
regiment  started,  which  was  promptly  done  by  him. 

I  will  here  remark  that  all  this  night,  as  on  the  previous  night,  the 
enemy  threw  a  strong  calcium  light  on  the  front  of  battery  Wagner. 
About  nine,  P.  M.,  being  informed  that  transportation  was  ready,  the 
embarkation  commenced  and  went  on  briskly  and  quietly  until  all  had 
been  embarked  except  the  rear  guard,  which  was  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain T.  A.  Huguenin,  numbering  thirty-five  men,  twenty-five  men  of 
the  first  South  Carolina  infantry,  company  **  A,"  ten  men  of  the 
twenty-fifth  South  Carolina  volunteers,  under  command  of  Lieutenants 
Brown  and  Saft.. 

At  about  eleven,  P.  M.,  1  turned* over  the  command  of  Battery 
Wagner  to  Captain  Huguenin,  and  ordering  my  Adjutant  General, 
Major  H.  Bryan  (a  member  of  General  Beauregard's  staff,  who  had 
volunteered  for  special  duty  on  Morris  Island)  to  accompany  me,  I 
proceeded  towards  Cummings'  Point.  At  the  rifle  pits,  I  received  in- 
formation that  more  transportation  was  ready  and;  I  immediately 
ordered  Major  Gardner  to  embark  his  regiment  and  to  take  with  him 
the  twelve-pounder  howitzer,  which  he  did,  but  could  not  bring  it  off 
the  island. 

The  transportation  under  the  direction  of  Major  M.  A.  Pringle, 
post  quartermaster  in  Charleston,  was  admirably  managed. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Dautzler,  twentieth  South  Carolina  volunteers, 
having  been  specially  detailed  by  General  Ripley,  to  superintend  the 
transportation,  under  his  spirited  and  excellent  management,  it  suc- 
ceeded perfectly . 

When  theinfatitry  were  all  embarked,  I  directed  Captain  Kanapaux, 
commanding  light  artillery,  to  spike  his  three  howitzers  and  embark 
his  ccmmand.  Captain  Lesesne  was  then  ordered  to  spike  the  guns 
of  Battery  Gregg,  and  embark  his  men.  The  rear  guard  from  ^-Vag- 
ner  coming  up  at  this  time  were  embarked.  I  had  ordered"  Captain 
Huguenin  down,  sending  word  by  private  John  A.  Stewart,  "  Gist 
<juards,"  the  cavalry  couriers  having  left  without  permission.  There 
was  no  light  kept  at  Gregg,  so  I  could  not  well  note  the  hour. 

With  two  or  three  boats  I  now  anxiously  waited  for  Captain 
Huguenin's  party,  finally  perceiving  that  the  enemy's  barges  from 
Vincent's  Creek  were  attacking  our  boats  with  musketry,  I  ordered 
the  safety  fuse  to  the  magazine  at  Battery  Gregg  to  bo  lighted,  it  was 
lit;  the  firing  then  ceased.  As  I  desired  the  explosions  at  both  batte- 
ries to  be  simultaneous  as  ordered,  I  ordered  Captain  Lesesne  to  ex.- 
tinguish  the  fuse,  intending  to   relight  it  or  apply  another  fuse,  when 


37 

Captains  Huguenin  an.^.  Pinckuey,  and  Lieutenant  Maayck,  who  were 
the  only  persons  who  had  not  yet  come  to  the  Point,  arrived.  Major 
Holcomhe  who  had  lighted  the  fuse,  immediately  attempted  to  extin- 
guish it,  he  informed  me  from  the  parapet  of  the  battery,  that  it  Tv>uld 
be  difficult  to  cut  it  in  twain  and  that  it  was  burning  brightly.  At 
that  moment  the  absent  party  arrived,  and  I  directed  him  not  to  in- 
terfere with  the  fuse  which  was  then  burning  brightly. 

About  half  past  one,  A.  M.,  with  the  rear  guard  of  my  command,  I 
embarked,  thus  successfully  withdrawing  from  Morris  Island,  and  my 
responsibility  ended. 

As  we  started  oft',  the  Yankee  barges  directed  their  musketry  fire 
upon  us,  causing  the  bullets  to  whir  around  us,  but  doing  no  harm, 
bearing  towards  Fort  Sumter,  I  proceeded  to  flag  steamer  Charleston 
and  notified  Captain  Tucker  that  the  evacuation  of  Morris'  Island  was 
accomplished  and  requesting  him  to  give  the  rocket  signal  to  our  bat- 
teries. 

I  then  proceeded  to  district  headquarters  and  repeated  the  informa- 
tion arriving  three,  A.  M.,  on  tht  7th. 

During  the  day  and  evening  of  the  6th,  Captain  Adger,  the  efficient 
post  quartermaster,  kept  his  only  wagon  moving  the  wounded  from 
Wagner  to  Gregg,  under  the  direction  of  chief  surgeon  William  C. 
Ravenel ;  strange  to  say  none  were  hurt  by  the  enemy's  fire,  which 
from  time  to  time,  swept  across  the  road.  Of  course  the  wounded 
were  embarked  first. 

Doctor  Ravenel  performed  his  arduous  duties  with  alacrity  and 
zeal,  showing  every  kindness  to  the  wounded  and  stunned,  which 
poured  in  from  sunrise  on  the  5th  until  the  evening  of  the  6th  ;  he 
left  about  half  past  ten,  leading  his  ambulance  corps. 

I  am  happy  to  state  that  the  majority  of  the  wounded  was  slight, 
though  disabling  the  men  for  the  time. 

The  guns  in  the  batteries  were  spiked,  and  the  implements  generally 
destroyed,  equipments  mostly  carried  off.  The  magazines  were  not 
blown  up,  owing  to  the  faulty  character  of  the  safety  fuses  used  for 
the  purpose,  which  were  ignited;  that  at  Battery  Wagner  by  Captain 
Huguenin,  assisted  by  Captain  Pinckney,  district  ordnance  officer,  and 
that  at  Battery  Gregg  by  Major  Holcomhe,  under  Captain  Lesesne's 
instructions,  and  the  supervision  of  Captain  F.  D.  Lee  and  Lieutenant 
Stiles  of  the  Engineers. 

The  enemy  were  within  thirty  steps  of  the  front  of  Battery  Wag- 
ner, the  voices  of  their  sappers  could  be  distinctly  heard.  Any  at- 
tempt to  break  off  the  trunion  or  shatter  the  carriage  of  a  gun  would 
have  been  distinctly  heard,  and  our  movements  discovered,  besides 
the  gun  chambers  had  been  filled  with  loo.?e  sand  displaced  by  the 
enemy's  shot,  the  guns  could  not  be  managed. 

I  attempted  to  move  the  sand  but  my  working  parties  were  broken 
up  B8  soon  as  put  to  work. 

The  enemy  had  planted  heavy  mortars  within  one  hundred  yards 
of  the  battery,  and  they  could  and  did  throw  their  shells  into  any 
designated  spot.  They  could  hear  the  movements  of  a  party  at  work 
ftlong  the  line,  and  would  kill,  wound  or  disperse  the  men.     Property 


is 

had  to  be  destroyed  within  thirty  steps  of  the  enemy,  and  while  they 
could  hear  the  voices  of  our  men  in  this  close  proximity  to  them,  the 
whole  garrison  had  to  be  removed.  Their  sand  batteries  and  fleet  swept 
every  inch  of  ground  between  Batteries  Wagner  and  Gregg,  and  any 
suspicion  of  our  movements,  compromised,  if  it  did  not  destroy,  the 
safety  of  the  garrison.     All  the  guns  were  effectually  spiked. 

At  Battery  Gregg  every  thing  was  destroyed  but  the  two  ten-inch 
guns;  they  were  prepared  for  bursting  when  the  last  party  embarked; 
before  this  party  arrived  the  enemy's  barges  fired  upon  ours,  trans- 
porting  our  troops,  and  also  turning  their  fire  upon  us.  An  attempt 
had  been  made  by  the  enemy  the  preceeding  night,  in  barges  to  assail 
and  capture  Battery  Gregg  ;  the  number  of  their  barges  there  in  easy 
range  could  not  be  ascertained. 

I  was  informed  by  the  Engineer,  Captain  Lee,  that  the  explosion  of 
the  magazine  would  destroy  the  guns,  the  fuse  was  lighted,  burned 
well  and  no  doubt  was  entertained  of  its  igniting  the  magazine. 

The  rear  guard  from  Battery  Wagner  had  embarked  under  fire  from 
the  enemy's  barges.  These  barges,  I  am  convinced,  gave  the  enemy 
the  information  of  the  withdrawal  of  our  garrisons.  The  guns  of 
Battery  Gregg  were  spiked. 

My  chief  exertion  was  to  save  my  men;  whose  future  services  will, 
I  trust,  be  worth  much  more  to  the  Confederacy,  than  what  I  failed  to 
destroy  to  the  enemy.  Had  instructions  been  sent  to  me  earlier,  more 
might  have  been  done.  Lieut.  Stiles,  assistant  Engineer,  stationed  at 
Battery  Gregg,  at  my  request,  had  come  up  to  Battery  Wagner  in  the 
morning  ;  upon  examination  he  expressed  to  me  a  doubt  whether  there 
was  powder  enough  in  the  magazine  to  blow  it  up.  I  should  state  at 
this  point  that  I  had  sent  on  Friday,  for  an  additional  supply  of  pow- 
der, sending  the  requisition  and  my  report,  as  to  the  state  of  the 
garrison,  and  of  the  day  preceeding,  by  Major  Warley,  chief  of  ar- 
tillery, who  was  wounded  and  returning  to  the  city  in  a  small  boat, 
sent  for  the  purpose.  This  boat  was  captured  by  the  enemy's  barges 
and  my  report  either  taken  or  destroyed  by  Major  Warley.  Of  this 
capture  I  had  no  knowledge  until  Saturday  night. 

The  blowing  up  of  the  magazines  was  entrusted  by  me  to  brave  and 
intelligent  officers,  who,  I  think,  did  their  best  to  effect  it,  (See 
Huguenin's  and  Lesesne's  reports  marked  A  and  B.) 

The  chief  ordnance  officer  of  the  district  came  to  Morris  Island, 
apparently  to  look  after  this,  and  was  given  every  facility  he  asked 
for. 

I  did  not  attempt  to  destroy  the  bomb-proof  at  Wagner,  because, 
after  consulting  with  Captain  Lee,  of  the  engineers,  I  deemed  it 
impracticable,  from  the  small  quantity  of  combustible  material  at  my 
disposal,  and  that  any  smoke  would  at  once  inform  the  enemy  and 
stimulate  him  to  pursue  us  by  land  and  water. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  sand  above  the  bomb-proof  was 
considerably  saturated  with  water  which  dripped  through  in  several 
places. 

To  Captain  Huguenin,  chief  of  artillery  ;  Major  Bryan,  A.  A.  G. ; 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Pressby,  commanding  twenty-fifth  S.  C.  Y.,  and 


89 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Dautzler,  superintending  embarkation,  I  am 
chiefly  indebted  for  the  success  of  the  evacuation.  My  thanks  are 
due  Mr.  J.  F.  Mathews,  engineer  corps,  for  the  use  of  his  boat  and 
crew  for  moving  troops  and  bringing  me  off  at  the  last. 

Captain  Hayne  and  Lieutenants  Montgomery  and  Blum,  of  the 
twenty-fifth  8.*  C.  \.,  three  valuable  officers,  were  killed  at  their  posts 
of  duty  during  the  last  of  the  siege.     Let  their  names  be  honored. 

I  desire  to  record  the  faithful  services  of  privates  Laith,  Stewart,  and 
Bond  of  the  Gist  Guard.  S.  C.  volunteers,  who  have  remained  volun- 
tarily on  duty  at  Battery  Wagner  almost  the  entire  siege.  Always 
attentive  and  cool  under  fire.  Stewart  would  make  an  excellent  com- 
missary and  Laith  a  practical  and  hard-working  ordiitince  officer. 
Lieutenant  R.  M.  Stiles,  engineer  corps,  creditably  performed  the 
duties  assigned  to  him.  Lieutenant  Miller,  company  A,  S.  C.  artil- 
lery, was  distinguished  for  courage  and  for  his  cheerfulness,  which 
was  not  diminished  by  a  slight  wound  on  the  knee,  and  by  being 
stunned  for  half  an  hour. 

To  Major  Bryan,  of  General  Beauregard's  staff,  who  volunteered 
as  my  adjutant  general,  I  am  under  the  greatest  obligations.  Although 
at  the  time  I  was  ordered  to  Morris  Island  to  assume  command  of  the 
forces  there,  he  had  a  furlough  to  visit  his  father  in  Georgia,  who 
was  very  ill,  he  promptly  waived  it  and  volunteered  to  go  with  me. 
His  tact,  coolness,  experience,  courage,  and  untiring  industry  were 
of  the  greatest  service  to  me  during  the  night  and  the  day.  His  vigi- 
lence  extended  to  every  department  and  perpetually  sought  out  means 
of  increasing  our  resources  and  deficiences. 

Ib  spite  of  severe  indisposition  for  several  days,  I  have  made  every 
exertion  to  meet  the  very  unusual  responsibilities  imposed  upon  me. 

Taking  all  circumstances  into  consideration,  I  trust  that  this  will 
not  compare  unfavorably,  on  the  part  of  the  garrison,  with  any  other 
retreat  made  during  this  war. 

I  am.  sir,  very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

L.  M.  KEITT, 

Colonel  commanding. 

Official  :     W.  Gordon  McCabe,* 

A.  A.  A.   General : 


[enporsed.] 

Headqiiarters  Department  or  S.  C,  Ga.,  anp  Fla.,  ) 
Charleston,  S.  C,  Sept.  19th,  1863.  J 

Had  this  evacuation  been  conducted  in  strict  compliance  with 
detailed  orders,  it  would  be  one  of  the  most  memorable  in  history, 
and  after  all,  may  be  regarded  as  a  signal  succpss  and  highly  credita- 
ble to  the  commanding  officer  and  all  officers  and  men  who  partici- 
pated in  it. 

Subjected  to  »  terrible  £re  and  beleaguered  almost  to  the  verj 


40 

ditch  of  the  work  by  an  enterprising,  watchful  adversary,  yet  the 
entire  garrison  was  withdrawn  in  safety.  The  coolness  and  dicipline 
which  characterized  this  operation,  and  through  which  an  efficient 
command  has  been  saved  to  the  country  for  future  use,  are  deemed 
worthy  of  notice  and  commendation  by  the  War  Department,  espe- 
cially when  taken  in  connection  with  their  stout  defence  of  Morris 
Island  for  four  days  preceding  the  evacuation,  together  with  the  lim- 
ited and  imperfect  means  of  water  transportation  at  command. 

One  of  the  reasons  assigned  for  not  bursting  the  guns,  blowing  up 
magazines  and  bomb-proofs  in  Batteries  Wagner  and  Gregg — that  is 
an  alleged  want  of  time  after  the  order  to  evacuate  had  reached  Mor- 
ris Island — calls,  however,  for  remarks  from  these  headquarters. 

It  had  been  a  standing  order  for  several  weeks  previous  to  the 
evacuation,  that  in  such  an  event,  all  guns,  magazines,  bomb-proofs, 
&c.,  should  be  thoroughly  destroyed,  and  with  that  view,  time-fuses 
had  been  tested,  and  with  "rat  tail"  files  were  provided  for  both  works. 
Further,  the  written  special  instructions  of  Brigadier  General  Ripley 
prescribing  measures  and  means  for  the  complete  destruction  of  these 
works  and  of  their  armaments  at  the  proper  time,  and  the  detailed  or- 
ders directing  and  regulating  the  evacuation  of  Morris  Island  were 
received  by  the  commanding  officer  at  dark  on  the  6th  instant,  (about 
six,  P.  M.,)  the  last  detachment  of  his  command  did  not  quit  the 
island  until  after  one,  A.  M.,  on  the  7th  instant;  hence  there  were 
seven  (7)  hours  for  the  completion  of  all  necessary  arrangements.  I 
am,  therefore,  unable  to  admit  that  there  was  any  lack  of  time  for  the 
thorough  execution  of  the  work  of  destruction  ordered. 

It  is  not  explained  why  the  time-fuses  failed  to  explode  the  powder 
left  in  the  magazines.  They  were  seen  burning  brightly  when  last 
observed,  and  it  is,  therefore,  probable  that  either  before  or  whilst  the 
fife  was  being  applied,  the  ends  in  contact  with  the  powder  were  acci- 
dentally detachetl. 

G.  T.  BEAUREGARD, 

Ge7t  ral  commanding. 


41 


LIST  OF  ORDNANCE   left   on    Morris    Island  on  the  iiight  of  Oisi 
evacuation,  September  6th.   1863. 

Battery  Wagner. 


.1 

"^  a 

J3    S 
O  —• 

a 
a 
H 

d 
o 

0 

a 

3 

be 
to 

til 

V 

.ll 

1 

1' 

Forty-two  pdr   | 
carronadc. 

Eihgt-in.  siege 
mortar,  brass' 

li 

H 

K,  o 
i-= 

it 

—  -■— ■■         ...  — rs^ieiSM 
R1;M  \HKS 

•      2 

1 
1 

2 
2 

2 

•> 

1 

1 

2 

2 

J 

2 

1 

2 

1 
1 

3 
2 

One  dismt'd  <t  bfoken,  1  eeriviceabte. 

ServicoHblc. 

Serviceable — I  injurod  by  sheH  »Bi8 

carriage  Ji.aabled. 
One  dism'nted  and  broken  to  piecca 
Serviceable. 
Serviceable. 
Serrieoable. 
Spiked  with  friction  tube  two  ixya 

before  eviieuation. 
Serviceable. 
Serviceable. 

<P   2 

2 

1        1 

3  1     2  i  17 

Battkuv  Grkc^g. 


T                  i 

-         .s 

f 

o 

H 

1 

b  ■'^ 

5.1 

- 

« 
2 

© 

HEMAKKS. 

2 

I 

2«» 
1 

1 
2 

One  carriapce   iujiired    and  the  other  Mr»iM»- 

bic. 
Serviceable. 

Serviceable. 

Serviceable. 

2 

I 

I 

2 

6 

43 


IJST   OF  MJ£I^  CAPTVBED   on  the    ''Leo,''  o^i  the  nijilit  of   the 
Uh  of  September,  by  the  enemy's  barges. 


So. 


Nam«. 


Rank. 


ltem:irk>. 


1  F.  r.  Warley, 

1  P.   Mitldleton, 

2  W.  Fox, 

§  •*  James  Favau, 

4  [George  McDonald, 

5  lj.   Silvaniii?, 
S  jjobn  Smithy 

1  I  Thomas  Nolan, 

U  JH.  McDonald, 

9  10  Davis, 

10  iC.Sohnibble, 

11  Ih.  Schnibble. 


Major,2d  S.  C. art'y. |  WoTinded  by  splinlor  at  Hat.  Wagnor. 
('oxswain.     . 
lioat  hand. 


• 


# 


0'^ 


•r% 


# 


*'f 


itIV?l 


